Poster Presentations
Author(s): Alexandra Hameline, Megan Demshar, and Heather Ahrens, High Point University
Mentor: Heather Ahrens, Biology
This study provides a detailed description of the hind limb myology of the kinkajou, an arboreal mammal. Observations indicate that muscle anatomy is similar to the red panda and ringtail, indicating that both locomotor function and phylogeny influence the hind limb myology of the kinkajou.
Author(s): Christopher Houpt, High Point University
Mentor: Courtney Bradley, Pharmacy
The purpose of this study was to determine student confidence in administering a pulmonary function test (PFT) after two phases of an educational intervention. Results analyzed from surveys showed a significant increase in confidence between the first and second survey indicating a benefit to a one phase educational intervention.
Author(s): Courtney McCorkle and Bradley Clark, High Point University
Mentor: Bradley Clark, Pharmacy
Self-emulsifying lipid delivery systems create oil-in-water emulsions upon contact with aqueous gastric and intestinal fluids increasing surface area for drug release and absorption. This study aimed to create a formulation that provides spontaneous emulsification and release of fenofibrate to increase absorption as monitored by drug dissolution.
Author(s): Emily S. Lyon, Michele A. Johnson and Roger Vaughan, High Point University
Mentor: Roger Vaughan, Exercise Science
Valine catabolite 3-hydroxyisobuterate (3HIB) may enhance cellular fatty acid uptake possibly explaining the correlation between circulating BCAAs (such as valine) and metabolic disease. Our findings in cultured myotubes suggest 3HIB may dose-dependently alter metabolism without changing gene expression of regulators of mitochondrial biogenesis or BCAA catabolism.
Author(s): Michele A. Johnson, Nicholas P. Gannon, Jamie K. Schnuck, and Roger A. Vaughan, High Point University, Medical College of Wisconsin
Mentor: Roger Vaughan, Exercise Science
Branched chain amino acids (BCAA) such as leucine, stimulate favorable metabolic processes, however higher levels of circulating BCAAs correlate with severity of diabetes (possibly from lipid-induced deregulation of BCAA catabolism). Leucine-induced mitochondrial biogenesis was suppressed by concurrent fat treatment. BCAA catabolism remained largely unaffected by leucine with or without lipid.
Author(s): Nicholas Cutrona, High Point University
Mentor: Meghan Blackledge, Chemistry
In 2005, deaths from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) outnumbered those from AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, emphysema, and homicide, combined. Antibiotic adjuvants are a novel method for stemming the antibiotic resistance crisis. We have created a dibenzoxazepine compound library to probe the importance of halogen location and identity to adjuvant activity.
Author(s): Ryan Casey, High Point University
Mentor: Kristin Ackerman, Biology
20-30% of pregnant woman continue to smoke cigarettes despite many adverse fetal outcomes. Our laboratory is using zebrafish as a model system to study how nicotine exposure effects gross morphological development, specifically cardiovascular development. Preliminary data indicates that nicotine significantly alters heart rate, edema, and blood stagnation.
Author(s): Heather Estes and Heather Ahrens, High Point University
Mentor: Heather Ahrens, Biology
Arctocyonidae is a family of Paleogene mammals thought to be part of “Condylarthra”. Here the foot, ankle, and distal right tibia of Anacodon are described. Tarsal morphology was compared to that of Galecyon spp., Arctocyon primaevus, and Arctocyon mumak and suggests that Anacodon may have been scansorial, semi-fossorial, or terrestrial.
Author(s): Sarah Uzzi, Amy Hobday, Heather Estes, and Kelly Curtis, High Point University
Mentor: Kelly Curtis, Psychology
A variety of psychosocial factors contribute to maladaptive eating and exercise behaviors in adults. Questionnaires pertaining to psychological, social, and health behaviors were administered to students affiliated within Greek organizations. Significant correlations were expected between these variables with time involved in Greek organizations expected to make the expected relationships stronger.
Author(s): Robert Glass and *Soo Min Lee, High Point University
Mentor: Pamela Lundin, Chemistry
Organic polymers show promise as the active material for solar cells. We have designed a polymer capable of being a single component active layer. We are synthesizing the repeat unit of this polymer, as well as its donor and acceptor components. We will present our progress synthesizing the acceptor component.
Author(s): *Isabella R Grifasi, Scot E McIntosh, and S. Alex Marshall, High Point University
Mentor: Alex Marshall, Pharmacy
Exposure to binge-like amounts of ethanol causes alterations in glial cell function. A non-dependent, non-damaging alcoholic binge model resulted in changes in the microglia (Aif1) and astrocyte (GFAP) mRNA that are only prevalent during intoxication, but there are no persisting alterations during abstinence.
Author(s): *Hannah Lee Dixon, Kristen Brokaw, Kate Hutchinson, Lindsey Palmquist, and Melissa Srougi, High Point University
Mentor: Melissa Srougi, Biochemistry
BRCA2-mutant breast cancer cells with increased expression of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1) undergo futile redox cycling with hydroquinone isobutyl-deoxynyboquinone (IB-DNQ). Treatment of BRCA2-mutant cells with IB-DNQ should cause DNA damage to induce cell death. Co-treatment with poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) inhibitors should potentiate cell death. Co-treatment with NQO1-inhibitor should decrease cell death.
Oral Presentations
Author(s): Seanna Naylon, High Point University
Mentor: Paul Ringel, History
Starting in 1916-1970, The Great Migration from the Southern states to the Northern and Midwestern states established an audience for the Negro National League. With the change in demographics brought an increase in hate crimes, discrimination, and black suppression, there became a need for African American communities to unite and take a stance politically and socially.
Author(s): Kyra Gillard, High Point University
Mentor: Meghan Blackledge, Chemistry
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections kill over 20,000 people a year and is particularly difficult to treat because it employs virulence behaviors, such as antibiotic resistance. We have identified a class of structurally related tetracyclic amines capable of repotentiating MRSA to common ß-lactam antibiotics.
Author(s): Harrison Seitz, High Point University
Mentor: Sandra Cooke, Biology
While UV-B radiation causes DNA damage in organisms, some zooplankton species can use UV-A radiation to heal themselves using processes called photoenzymatic repair (PER) and nucleotide excision repair (NER). We examined the effects of UV radiation and the use of PER and NER on three local cladoceran zooplankton species.
Author(s): Heather Frankel, High Point University
Mentor: Brandon Lenoir, Communication
This presentation is meant to be a companion piece to the documentary: “The Price of Bone,” discussing what it takes to make a documentary. It covers the obstacles I faced during filming and post-production, and the step by step process taken in order to create the documentary. The presentation also offers a quick overview of the topics covered in the film.