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Program and Abstract Book for The UNC-Chapel Hill 2015 Academic Research Conference.
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The Graduate and Professional Student Federation presents the
UNC-CHAPEL HILL
ACADEMIC RESEARCH CONFERENCE
March 4, 2015
PROGRAM & ABSTRACT BOOK
PROGRAM GUIDE 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome Note ........................................................................................................... 1
Schedule of Events ..................................................................................................... 2
Research Talks Schedule ....................................................................................... 3-5
Poster Presentation Schedule ................................................................................. 6-9
Research Talks Abstracts ................................................................................... 10-19
Poster Abstracts ................................................................................................. 20-38
Index ........................................................................................................................ 39
Welcome to the UNC Academic Research Conference!
UNCs Graduate and Professional Student Federation welcomes you to the first annual UNC
Academic Research Conference. The conference, which was formerly known as University
Research Day, features the work of UNCs graduate, professional, and undergraduate students.
UNC-Chapel Hill is one of the top research universities in the country, and this conference is
intended to exhibit some of the contributions that graduate, professional, and undergraduate students
of the UNC- Chapel Hill community are making to their respective fields. While the University
tends to attract national attention for other achievements, our community also has a great impact on
the world through its academics, making contributions to medicine, natural sciences, social sciences,
and the arts and humanities. The papers and posters for this years conference represent the breadth
of those contributions. Represented among the projects are advancements in health and medicine,
studies of the effects of social actions and governmental policies, and literary analysis of a poet
laureate. We thank you for joining us today in celebrating the true Carolina way educating
Tarheels who are leaders in their fields! Thanks also to all who helped make this conference
possible, including presenters, volunteers, and judges.
Your 2015 UNC ARC Organizing Committee
Justin McNabb (Committee Chair / GPSF Events Chair), Marissa Cann (Scheduling / GPSF CoS), Katie Walker (Catering / VPEA),
Nicole Carlson (Publicity), Brian A. Coussens (Registration / Program), Stephanie Davis (Publicity / GPSF PR Chair), Katherine
Stember (Publicity), Denise Allard Trout (Volunteer Coordination), Dana Walsh (Acquisitions / Outreach)
UNC ACADEMIC RESEARCH CONFERENCE
PROGRAM GUIDE 2
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
8:00AM 9:00AM
CHECK-IN, POSTER SET-UP, AND BREAKFAST Student Union Great Hall Lobby
9:00AM 11:30AM
SESSION 1 Poster Presentations in the Union Great Hall
Research Talks in Union Rooms (see Research Talks Schedule, pp. 3-5)
11:30AM 12:00PM
LUNCH Grab your lunch and make your way into the auditorium for the keynote address
12:00PM 1:00PM
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: NOBEL LAUREATE OLIVER SMITHIES FOLLOWED BY Q & A Student Union Auditorium
1:00PM 3:30PM
SESSION 2 Poster Presentations in the Union Great Hall
Research Talks in Union Rooms (see Research Talks Schedule, pp. 3-5)
3:30PM 4:00PM
POSTER TAKE DOWN
4:00PM 4:30PM
POSTER AND RESEARCH TALKS AWARDS Student Union Great Hall
4:30PM - 6:00PM
SOCIAL EVENT FOR PRESENTERS AND ATTENDEES
A Special Thanks to Sigma Xi
The UNC ARC Organizing Committee would like to extend a special thanks to Sigma Xi, the
Scientific Research Society, and the local chapter president, Dr. Michael Madden, for offering
awards for papers and posters in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields.
MARCH 4, 2015
PROGRAM GUIDE 3
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CHAIR: Matthew Haynes (Pharmaceutical Sciences)
PRESENTERS:
9:00 Philip Wages (Toxicology), Katelyn S. Lavrich
(Toxicology), and James M Samet (Toxicology)
Exposure to 1,2-Naphthoquinone Induces Protein Sulfenylation in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells
9:20 Julia Dunn (Microbiology & Immunology), Laurel
Kartchner (Microbiology & Immunology), Corey
Jania (Surgery), Rob Maile (Surgery, Microbiology
& Immunology), and Bruce Cairns (Surgery,
Microbiology and Immunology)
Neutrophil Accumulation and Anti-inflammatory Cytokine Production Characterize a Clinically
Relevant Murine Model of Woodsmoke Inhalation
9:40 Dongfen Yuan (Pharmacy), Alexander Kabanov
(Pharmacy, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State
University)
In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization of Raw 264.7 Macrophages-derived Exosomes as Brain
Delivery Nanovectors
10:00 Zainab Farzal (Otolaryngology/Head & Neck
Surgery), Jonathan Walsh (Otolaryngology/Head
and Neck Surgery), Gabriella Lopes de Rezende
Barbosa (Piracicaba Dental School, University of
Campinas), Carlton J. Zdanski (Otolaryngology/
Head & Neck Surgery), Stephanie D. Davis
(Indiana University School of Medicine), Richard
Superfine (Physics & Astronomy), Luiz Andr
Pimenta (Craniofacial Center), Julia S. Kimbell
(Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery), and
Amelia Fischer Drake (Otolaryngology/Head &
Neck Surgery, Craniofacial Center)
Volumetric Analysis of the Nasal Cavity in Children with Unilateral and Bilateral Cleft Lip and
Palate
10:20 Diana Chong (Genetics and Molecular Biology)
BMP Signaling Affects Tortuous Vessel Formation and Sprouting
10:40 Jae Lee (Mathematics UNC Chapel Hill), Y. Yao (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), U.
Shrestha (University of California, San Francisco),
G. T. Gullberg (Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory), and Y. Seo (University of California,
San Francisco)
Handling Big Data in Medical Imaging: Iterative Reconstruction with Large-Scale Automated
Parallel Computation
CHAIR: Don Holmes (English)
PRESENTERS:
9:00 Haley Smyser (Undergraduate / Communication
Studies)
Scared Straight: Propagandistic Fear Tactics in Anti-Smoking Advertisements
9:20 Adam Engel (English & Comparative Literature)
Delicate Daemon: The Tortured Hybrid in Ted Hughes' Crow
CHAIR: TBA
PRESENTERS:
9:00 Mejs Hasan (Geology)
A Story of Fluvial Geomorphology on the Indus River
9:20 John Paul Balmonte (Marine Sciences) and Carol
Arnosti (Marine Sciences)
New Insights into the Organic Matter-degrading Capabilities of Arctic Ocean Microbial
Communities
9:40 Chung-Nan Tzou (Mathematics), Roberto Camassa
(Mathematics), Zhi. Lin (Mathematics), Richard M.
McLaughlin (Mathematics), Keith Mertens
(Mathematics), James Walsh (Mathematics), and
Brian White (Marine Sciences)
Optimal Mixing of Buoyant Jets and Plumes in Stratified Fluids: Theory and Experiments
10:00 Raymond Blackwell (Undergraduate / Chemistry)
and Tessa Carducci (Chemistry)
Electron Exchanges in Films of Ferrocenated Au Nanoclusters
10:20 Kelsey Ellisq (Marine Sciences), Natalie Cohen
(Marine Sciences), and Adrian Marchetti (Marine
Sciences)
Vitamin B12 Requirements within Bloom-forming Diatoms
IC Natural Sciences I Union 3407
IB Humanities I Union 2424
SESSION I (9:00-11:30AM)
IA Biological / Health Sciences I Union 2420
UNC ACADEMIC RESEARCH CONFERENCE
PROGRAM GUIDE 4
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CHAIR: Taylor Livingston (Anthropology)
PRESENTERS:
9:00 Jackie Lawrence (Education)
Exploring the Relationship between Cyberbullying and Targeted Threats of Violence in our High
Schools
9:20 Jim Kuras (Geography)
Pregnant at Gezi Park: Disrupting Public Space Through Embodied Performance
9:40 Austin Rick (Undergraduate / Sociology)
Joel Osteen: A Master of Persuasion
CHAIR: Anel Jaramillo (Neurobiology)
PRESENTERS:
1:00 Myung Soo Kim (Molecular Pharmaceutics),
Matthew J. Haney (Molecular Pharmaceutics),
Yuling Zhao (Molecular Pharmaceutics), Richa
Gupta (Molecular Pharmaceutics), Zhijian He
(Molecular Pharmaceutics), Phi Phua (Molecular
Pharmaceutics), Aleksandr Piroyan (Molecular
Pharmaceutics), Marina Sokolsky (Molecular
Pharmaceutics), Alexander v. Kabanov (Molecular
Pharmaceutics), and Elena V. Batrakova (Molecular
Pharmaceutics)
Characterization of Exosome-Encapsulated Paclitaxel for the Treatment of Neoplasms
1:20 Ariel Hanson (Biomedical Engineering), Eliane
Wauthier (Cell Biology and Physiology), Joseph
Costello (Cell Biology and Physiology), Mitsuo
Yamauchi (School of Dentistry), Jeffrey Macdonald
(Biomedical Engineering), and Lola Reid (Cell
Biology and Physiology)
Engineered Human Liver Organoid with near Physiological Metabolic Function
1:40 John Runge (Genetics and Molecular Biology),
Jesse R. Raab (Genetics), and Terry Magnuson
(Genetics)
Defining Mechanisms of Interaction between Chromatin Remodeling Complexes
2:00 Christine Kim (Oral Biology) and Robert Tarran
(Medicine)
Short Palate Lung and Nasal Epithelial Clone 1 (SPLUNC1) Dissociates and Internalizes the
Epithelial Sodium Channel (ENaC)
2:20 Mrinalini Ramanan (Biochemistry and
Biophysics), Peter Thompson (Biochemistry and
Biophysics), Lucia Stefanini (University of
Reading), Mihir Shah (Biochemistry and
Biophysics), Wolfgang Bergmeier (Biochemistry
and Biophysics), and Sharon Campbell
(Biochemistry and Biophysics)
Building the Foundation for a Novel Platelet Inhibitor: Targeting the C1 Domain of CalDAG-
GEFI to Inhibit Rap1b
2:40 Kathleen Mulvaney (Cell Biology & Physiology),
Jacob Matson (Biochemistry & Biophysics), Dennis
Goldfarb (Computer Science), Jean Cook
(Biochemistry & Biophysics), and Ben Major (Cell
Biology & Physiology, Lineberger Comprehensive
Cancer Center)
Elucidating the Function of MCM3 Ubiquitination by KEAP1: Crosstalk between Redox-sensing and
Cell Cycle Progression
3:00 Matthew Powers (Undergraduate / Biology),
Edgardo Sanbria-Valentin (City University of New
York), Albert Bowers (School of Pharmacy), and
Elizabeth Shank (Microbiology and Immunology)
Inhibition of Cell Differentiation in Bacillus subtilis by Pseudomonas protegens
CHAIR: Natalie Cohen (Marine Sciences)
PRESENTERS:
1:00 George Allen (Geological Sciences) and Tamlin
Pavelsky (Geological Sciences)
Estimating the Surface Area of Rivers and Streams across Continents
1:20 Nicholas Battista (Mathematics), Andrea Lane
(Biostats), John Cruickshank (Biology), and Laura
Miller (Mathematics)
Hemodynamics in Heart Morphogenesis
1:40 Evan Reynolds (Chemistry)
Superiority through Selectivity: Unnatural Cofactors and the Enzymes that bind them
2:00 Ryan Beauchemin (Undergraduate / Physics and
Astronomy),
A New Method for Measuring Kinematic Inclinations of Galaxies in the RESOLVE Survey
ID Social Sciences I Union 3201
SESSION II (1:00-3:30PM)
IIA Biological / Health Sciences II Union 2420
IIB Natural Sciences II Union 3407
MARCH 4, 2015
PROGRAM GUIDE 5
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2:20 Carly Moreno (Marine Sciences)
Investigating the transcriptomes of seven Southern Ocean diatoms
CHAIR: Oliver Taenzer (GSLL)
PRESENTERS:
1:00 Jen Boehm (Linguistics)
A Phonetic Analysis of S'gaw Karen Dialects Among Refugees in North Carolina
1:20 Moira Johnson (Sociology)
Personal Control Level and Change as Predictors of Inflammatory Markers
1:40 Alecia Smith (Undergraduate / Education)
Teacher Expectations and Relationship Formation Among High-Achieving Black Male Students
IIC Social Sciences II Union 3201
PROGRAM GUIDE 6
UNC ACADEMIC RESEARCH CONFERENCE
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POSTER PRESENTERS:
1 Myung Soo Kim (Molecular Pharmaceutics), Matthew J. Haney (Molecular Pharmaceutics),
Yuling Zhao (Molecular Pharmaceutics), Richa
Gupta (Molecular Pharmaceutics), Zhijian He
(Molecular Pharmaceutics), Phi Phua (Molecular
Pharmaceutics), Aleksandr Piroyan (Molecular
Pharmaceutics), Marina Sokolsky (Molecular
Pharmaceutics), Alexander v. Kabanov (Molecular
Pharmaceutics), and Elena V. Batrakova (Molecular
Pharmaceutics)
Characterization of Exosome-Encapsulated Paclitaxel for the Treatment of Neoplasms
2 Lee Hong (Microbiology and Immunology), Meng-Lei Zhu (Microbiology and Immunology), Pearl
Bakhru (Microbiology and Immunology), Imran
Khan (University of California, San Francisco),
Maria Mouchess (University of California, San
Francisco), Ajay Gulati1 (Center for
Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease), Lawrence
Fong (University of California, San Francisco),
Mark S. Anderson (University of California, San
Francisco), and Maureen A. Sul (Lineberger
Comprehensive Cancer Center)
Disrupting Central Tolerance Augments the Anti-tumor Effects of Peripheral Immune Checkpoint
Blockade
3 Ariel Hanson (Biomedical Engineering), Eliane Wauthier (Cell Biology and Physiology), Joseph
Costello (Cell Biology and Physiology), Mitsuo
Yamauchi (School of Dentistry), Jeffrey Macdonald
(Biomedical Engineering), and Lola Reid (Cell
Biology and Physiology)
Engineered Human Liver Organoid with near Physiological Metabolic Function
4 Roderick Gladney (Undergraduate / Nutrition), S. McDonell (Nutrition), J. Rebeles (Nutrition), N.
MacIver (Duke University Medical Center), J.C.
Rathmell (Duke University Medical Center) and
M.A. Beck (Nutrition)
Activated Effector T Cells from Obese Diabetics Stimulate Glucose Uptake and Induce Pro-
inflammatory Metabolic Signaling
5 Christine Kim (Oral Biology) and Robert Tarran (Medicine)
Short Palate Lung and Nasal Epithelial Clone 1 (SPLUNC1) Dissociates and Internalizes the
Epithelial Sodium Channel (ENaC)
6 Jeanette Reyes (Environmental Sciences and Engineering) and Marc Serre (Environmental
Sciences and Engineering)
Non-Parametric Regionalized Model Performance Evaluation of PM2.5 Chemical Transport Models
7 Mrinalini Ramanan (Biochemistry & Biophysics), Peter Thompson (Biochemistry & Biophysics),
Lucia Stefanini (University of Reading), Mihir Shah
(Biochemistry & Biophysics), Wolfgang Bergmeier
(Biochemistry & Biophysics), and Sharon Campbell
(Biochemistry & Biophysics)
Role of the CalDAG-GEFI C1 Domain in Rap1b Activation and Platelet Aggregation
8 Rachel Bleich (Pharmacy), Elizabeth Shank (Biology), Albert Bowers (Pharmacy)
Thiopeptide Antibiotics Stimulate Biofilm Formation in Co-culture
9 Karen Sheffield (Nursing) and Cheryl Woods Giscombe (Nursing)
Efficacy, Feasibility, and Acceptability of Perinatal Yoga on Womens Mental Health and Well-being: A Systematic Literature Review
10 Jessica Nesmith (Biology)
FLT1 Regulation of Blood Vessel Anastomosis
11 Kathleen Mulvaney (Cell Biology & Physiology), Jacob Matson (Biochemisty & Biophysics), Dennis
Goldfarb (Computer Science), Jean Cook
(Biochemistry & Biophysics), and Ben Major (Cell
Biology & Physiology, Lineberger Comprehensive
Cancer Center)
Elucidating the Function of MCM3 Ubiquitination by KEAP1: Crosstalk between Redox-sensing and
Cell Cycle
12 Laura Kerfoot (Public Administration)
Better Translations in Healthcare: Improving Healthcare Quality for the Limited English
Proficient Population
13 Katherine Tech (Biomedical Engineering), Tia N. Fish (Neurology), Andrew J. Crowther
(Neuroscience), Andrey Tikunov (Biomedical
Engineering), Jeffrey M. Macdonald (Biomedical
Engineering, Neuroscience, Lineberger
Comprehensive Cancer Center), and Timothy R.
Gershon (Neurology, Neuroscience, Lineberger
Comprehensive Cancer Center)
Differential Splicing of Pyruvate Kinase Regulates Progenitor Cell Cycle and
Medulloblastoma Tumorigenesis
SESSION I (9:00-11:30AM)
Biological / Health Sciences I
PROGRAM GUIDE 7
MARCH 4, 2015
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POSTER PRESENTERS:
14 Kathleen Eckert (Physics and Astronomy), Sheila J. Kannappan (Physics and Astronomy), Amanda J. Moffett, Ashley Baker, David V. Stark (Physics and
Astronomy), Andreas A. Berlind, Kate Storey-
Fisher, Adrienne L. Erickcek, Mark A. Norris (Max
Plank Institute for Astronomy), Claudia Lagos, and
the RESOLVE team
Galaxy and Group Baryonic Mass Functions for the RESOLVE Survey
15 Matthew Powers (Undergraduate / Biology), Edgardo Sanbria-Valentin (City University of New
York), Albert Bowers (School of Pharmacy), and
Elizabeth Shank (Microbiology and Immunology)
Inhibition of Cell Differentiation in Bacillus subtilis by Pseudomonas protegens
16 Ryan Beauchemin (Undergraduate / Physics & Astronomy), Sheila Kannappan (Physics and
Astronomy), Kathleen Eckert (Physics and
Astronomy), Erik Hoversten, and Kirsten Hall
A Comparison of Kinematic and Photometric Inclinations in the RESOLVE Survey
17 Elaine Snyder (Physics & Astronomy), Sheila J. Kannappan (Physics and Astronomy), Dara J.
Norman (National Optical Astronomy
Observatory), Samantha Dallas (Brown
University), Ian P. Dell'Antonio (Brown
University), Mark A. Norris (Max Plank Institute
for Astronomy), Millicent Maier (Australian
Astronomical Observatory), Kathleen D. Eckert
(Physics and Astronomy), David V. Stark (Physics
and Astronomy), and the RESOLVE team
Characterizing Compact Core Galaxies in the RESOLVE Survey
POSTER PRESENTERS:
18 Shuting Zheng (Education)
Cultural Factors in Special Education Placement and Service
19 Kimberly Shumaker (Government)
Millennials and the Church: A Comparative Case Study of Three Evangelical Protestant Churches in
Winston-Salem, NC, and their Adaptation to
Millennials
20 Megan Garrett (Government)
Economic Impact of Coal Ash Spills: An Exploratory Case Study of the Dan River Steam
Station Spill
21 Jen Boehm (Linguistics)
An Acoustic Dialectal Analysis of Sgaw Karen in North Carolina
22 Olivia Hammill (Government)
Understanding if Women between the Ages of 18 and 25 are Influenced to Run for Political Office
When They See Other Women Running for
Political Office
23 Josh Lopez (Government)
Port Cities, Greenways, and Property Values: Evaluating the Impact of the Gary Shell Cross-City
Trail
24 Millicent Robinson (Undergraduate / Psychology), Cheryl Giscombe (Nursing), and Dana Carthron
(Center for Health Equity Research)
Superwoman Schema, Stigma, Provider Characteristics, and Religion: Factors that Influence
Mental Health Service Utilization among African
American Women
25 Matthew James (Government)
The Effect of Commuter Rail on Charlotte Property Values
26 Meagan McDougall (Government)
Understanding the Racial Differences and Barriers in Womens Ability to Claim Family and Medical Leave Acts (FMLA) Maternity Leave in Local Governments of North Carolina
27 Kathryn Adair (Psychology), Nikki Barczak, Stephanie L. Tepper, and Barbara Fredrickson
Present with You: The Effects of Mindfulness Training on Interpersonal Attention and Insight
during a Behavioral Lab Task
28 Alecia Smith (Undergraduate / Education)
Teacher Expectations and Relationship Formation Among High-Achieving Black Male Students
29 Emily Wheeler (Undergraduate / Environmental Science) and Andrew George (Government)
An Analysis of Stakeholder Participation in Public Hearings for Utility-Scale Solar Projects in North
Carolina
Natural Sciences I
Social Sciences I
PROGRAM GUIDE 8
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30 Justin Kreft (Government)
Measuring the Impact of Policy Choices on Data Management and Record Retention in the
Implementation of Body Worn Cameras for Law
Enforcement Officers
31 John Mark Wilson (Government)
The Houses We Built: Why Owners Want the Public to Pay for Spring Training Ballparks
32 Richard Takacs (Government)
The Effect of Social Media Campaigning in 2014 U.S. Senate Races: Relationships between Social
Media Metrics and Election Results
POSTER PRESENTERS:
1 Haydee Lara (Medicine), Kyle C. Roche, Bailey Zwarycz, Ian A. Williamson, and Scott T. Magness
The Cellular Origin of Intestinal Carcinoids
2 Dongfen Yuan (Pharmacy), Alexander Kabanov (Pharmacy, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State
University)
In vitro and in vivo Characterization of Raw 264.7 Macrophages-derived Exosomes as Brain Delivery
Nanovectors
3 Nathaniel MacNell (Epidemiology)
Environmental Injustice in the Location of Greensboro's Landfills
4 Upoma Guha (Operative Denistry), Mathew Corbin (Dentistry), and Terence Donovan (Operative
Dentistry)
Dental Erosion Potential of Popular Vegetable Juice
5 Andrew Satterlee (Biomedical Engineering) and Leaf Huang (Biomedical Engineering/Molecular
Pharmaceutics)
A High Specific Activity Radio-Theranostic Nanoparticle for Cancer Therapy and Imaging
6 Cathy Anderson (Undergraduate / Biochemistry and Biophysics), Reed Jacob, James Fay, and
Nikolay Dokholyan (Biochemistry and Biophysics)
The Identification and Confirmation of Low Molecular Weight Protein Bioscavengers Against
Organophosphates
7 Mariesa Slaughter (Genetics and Molecular Biology)
Polybromo-1 bromodomains Differentially Bind Histones Based on Post-translational Modification
8 Neha Verma (Undergraduate / Nutrition), Margaret E. Bentley (Nutrition), and Heather Wasser (Center
for Women's Health Research)
The Influence of Hospital Practices on Breastfeeding Among African American Women
9 Letonia Copeland-Hardin (Pathology), Yesim Dargaud (Unit d'Hmostase Clinique, Hpital
Edouard Herriot, Lyon, France), and Alisa S.
Wolberg (Pathology)
Clot Stability Assay Does Not Distinguish Bleeders and Non-bleeders in a French Cohort of Factor XI-deficient Patients
10 Zainab Farzal (Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery), ), Jonathan Walsh (Otolaryngology/Head
and Neck Surgery), Gabriella Lopes de Rezende
Barbosa (Piracicaba Dental School, University of
Campinas), Carlton J. Zdanski (Otolaryngology/
Head & Neck Surgery), Stephanie D. Davis
(Indiana University School of Medicine), Richard
Superfine (Physics & Astronomy), Luiz Andr
Pimenta (Craniofacial Center), Julia S. Kimbell
(Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery), and
Amelia Fischer Drake (Otolaryngology/Head &
Neck Surgery, Craniofacial Center)
Volumetric Analysis of the Nasal Cavity in Children with Unilateral and Bilateral Cleft Lip and
Palate
11 Eric Trexler (Exercise and Sport Science), Erica J. Roelofs (Exercise and Sport Science), Katie R.
Hirsch (Exercise and Sport Science), and Abbie E.
Smith-Ryan (Exercise and Sport Science)
Effects of Coffee and Caffeine Anhydrous on Strength and Sprint Performance
12 Diana Chong (Genetics and Molecular Biology)
BMP Signaling Affects Tortuous Vessel Formation and Sprouting
POSTER PRESENTERS:
13 Ben Newton (Computer Science), Jay Aikat, and Kevin Jeffay
Efficient Management of a High-Capacity Airborne Network of Commercial Aircraft
Biological / Health Sciences II
SESSION II (1:00-3:30PM)
Natural Sciences II
PROGRAM GUIDE 9
MARCH 4, 2015
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14 Harper Ragin (Undergraduate / Mathematics & Communication)
Filling In The Gaps: Russian Queer History and Contemporary Implications
15 Carlee Forbes (Art History)
African [and/or] Islamic Art: A Case Study of an Islamic Prayer Board (allo) at the Ackland Museum
of Art
POSTER PRESENTERS:
16 Jackie Lawrence (Education)
Exploring the Relationship between Cyberbullying and Targeted Threats of Violence in our High
Schools
17 Cameron Settles (Government)
Social Media Use by Local Governments: Part of a Broader Conversation
18 Thomas Rhea (Government)
All Aboard: An Informational Study on the Local Public Transportation
19 Sharon Vaughn-Fair (Government)
Does the Prince Georges County Public School System Prepare Students for College Acceptance?
20 Phillip Cordeiro (Government)
The Effect of Recruiting and Training Policy on Career Retention in the Marine Corps Officer
Population
21 Caley Trujillo (Government)
North Carolina City and County Manager Career Paths
22 Joseph Eckstrom (Government)
Why Do Teachers Stay: A Look at Teacher Retention and Attrition in North Carolina Public
Schools
23 Audrey Shore (Government)
Civic Crowdfunding: Trend or Viable Option for Local Governments?
24 William Cheatham (Government)
Capturing Economic Rent from Marylands Hydro-power Sector: The Case for a Resource Rent
Tax
25 Taylor Smith (Government)
Assessing Foster Parent Training
26 Nick Peak (Government)
State Cigarette Tax Revenue Allocations Among All 50 States
27 Jordan Paschal (Government)
Eliminating North Carolina's Privilege License Tax: Distress or Delight?
28 Jennifer Orletski (Government)
Refocusing Communities Efforts: Environmental Strategies and the Development of Green
Communities
29 Cara Mazzarini (Government) and Andrew George (Government)
School Meals and Socioeconomic Status: A Case Study of the Effects of the Healthy-Hunger Free
Kids Act in Pennsylvania
Social Sciences II
Humanities II
PROGRAM GUIDE 10
UNC ACADEMIC RESEARCH CONFERENCE
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Abstracts are organized alphabetically under each category
Diana Chong (Genetics and Molecular Biology)
BMP Signaling Affects Tortuous Vessel Formation and Sprouting
During adulthood, vessels are quiescent, with angiogenesis
being restricted to regenerative tissues, such as healing
wounds, or pathological diseases, such as cancer. The wound
healing response mimics tumorigenesis in many ways,
including the formation of tortuous vessels. However, one
difference is that tortuous vessels in a wound environment
eventually resolve, whereas cancer vessels maintain their
tortuosity. By understanding the process of tortuous vessel
formation in environments that are similar to cancer but able
to resolve, we can dissect novel therapeutic targets towards
normalization of the tumor vasculature. Studies of
angiogenesis during wound healing have recently increased;
however, high resolution analysis in vivo is lacking. Using
multi-photon microscopy, we visualized wound healing-
associated angiogenesis in vivo and captured the
spatiotemporal dynamics of tortuous vessel formation and
sprouting. Analysis of vessel dynamics show that vessels
become tortuous and then normalize once the wound is
healed. Furthermore, tortuous vessels display sprouting events
at a higher frequency than normal vessels. This novel finding
suggests that tortuous vessels may be an important
intermediate step during wound healing. We are also
examining the effects of the bone morphogenetic protein
(BMP) pathway during wound healing using an inducible,
endothelial-specific, conditional knock-out of BMP receptor 2
to monitor in vivo tortuous vessel formation and sprouting.
Preliminary results show that loss of BMPR2 leads to
increased tortuous vessel formation and decreased vessel
sprouting. The results from these studies will provide the first
characterization of sprouting from tortuous vessels and
identify the role of the BMP pathway in modulating this
event.
Julia Dunn (Microbiology & Immunology), Laurel
Kartchner (Microbiology & Immunology), Corey Jania
(Surgery), Rob Maile (Surgery, Microbiology &
Immunology), and Bruce Cairns (Surgery, Microbiology and
Immunology)
Neutrophil Accumulation and Anti-inflammatory Cytokine Production Characterize a Clinically Relevant
Murine Model of Woodsmoke Inhalation
Smoke inhalation is a major risk factor for burn patients,
causing loss of lung function, risk of pulmonary infection, and
increased mortality. Previous studies by our group and others
have identified prognostic indicators in patients; however, a
robust animal model is needed to elucidate specific
mechanisms of injury and to identify treatments. Here, we
demonstrate that inhalation of smoke generated by
combustion of particle board leads to phenotypic indicators of
acute lung injury (ALI) in mice. Female C57B/6 mice were
anesthetized, shaved, given subcutaneous morphine, and
intubated prior to six minutes of exposure to smoke generated
by smoldering of particle board. Cells and supernatants from
broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were analyzed by flow
cytometry and enzyme linked immuno-sorbent assay,
respectively. Our model of woodsmoke inhalation leads to an
increase in total protein and IL-10 in BALF and an increased
percentage of neutrophils infiltrating the lung. Cumulatively,
these results are consistent with ALI occurring due to
woodsmoke inhalation. We observed that our model of
woodsmoke inhalation induces characteristics of ALI that
mimic pathological changes in humans following smoke
inhalation. Early results indicate that this is a promising
model for future studies of interventions that could decrease
pathological inflammation and improve bacterial clearance in
patients suffering from moderate to severe smoke inhalational
injuries.
Zainab Farzal (Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery),
Jonathan Walsh (Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery),
Gabriella Lopes de Rezende Barbosa (Piracicaba Dental
School, University of Campinas), Carlton J. Zdanski
(Otolaryngology/ Head & Neck Surgery), Stephanie D. Davis
(Indiana University School of Medicine), Richard Superfine
(Physics & Astronomy), Luiz Andr Pimenta (Craniofacial
Center), Julia S. Kimbell (Otolaryngology/Head and Neck
Surgery), and Amelia Fischer Drake (Otolaryngology/Head &
Neck Surgery, Craniofacial Center)
Volumetric Analysis of the Nasal Cavity in Children with Unilateral and Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate
Objective: Children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) often
suffer from nasal obstruction which may be related to effects
on nasal volume. The objective of this study is to compare
nasal volume and side:side volume ratios in patients with
unilateral (UCLP) and bilateral (BCLP) clefts with age-
matched controls.
Study Design: Retrospective case-control study using three-
dimensional nasal airway reconstructions
Methods: We analyzed 20 pediatric subjects (age range: 7-12
years) with UCLP and BCLP from a regional craniofacial
center who underwent cone beam CT (CBCT) prior to
alveolar grafting. Ten multi-slice CT images from age-
matched controls were also analyzed. Mimics software (Materialise, Inc.) was used to create 3-dimensional
reconstructions of the main nasal cavity and compute total
and side-specific nasal volumes. Subjects imaged during
active nasal cycling phases were excluded.
Results: There was no statistically significant difference in
affected:unaffected side volume ratios in UCLP (p=0.48) or
left:right ratios in BCLP (p=0.25) when compared to left:right
ratios in controls. Mean overall nasal volumes (mm3) were
99321807, 69542577, and 66262135 for control, UCLP,
and BCLP patients, respectively, with statistically significant
volume decreases for both UCLP and BCLP subjects from
controls (p
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Ariel Hanson (Biomedical Engineering), Eliane Wauthier
(Cell Biology and Physiology), Joseph Costello (Cell Biology
and Physiology), Mitsuo Yamauchi (School of Dentistry),
Jeffrey Macdonald (Biomedical Engineering), and Lola Reid
(Cell Biology and Physiology)
Engineered Human Liver Organoid with near Physiological Metabolic Function
Liver transplantation is the primary method of treatment for
end-stage liver disease. Unfortunately the number of livers
available for transplantation is woefully smaller than what is
needed. In addition, academic and industrial research
investigations on human liver are severely limited by the
availability of human tissue, as well as the inability to keep
adult liver cells viable in vitro for extended periods of time.
The desire to produce a bioartificial liver to replace the
dependency on living donors for transplantation, or more
sophisticated human model systems for research has led to
investigations to examine decellularization of whole organs
that are then reseeded with human cells to create a humanized
organoid. In this study, we make use of delipidation reagents, gentle detergents and a high salt solution for
decellularization that is optimal for repopulating a biomatrix
scaffold with human fetal liver progenitor (hFLP) cells. It was
hypothesized that this biomatrix, in combination with a serum
free, hormonally defined medium (HDM) tailored to the liver
tissue, will provide a more optimal environment of native
molecular cues required by liver cells to produce an organoid
closely mimicking human liver functions. Following a 14-day
culture period in a bioreactor, quantitative RT-PCR analysis
of samples from the reseeded liver biomatrix scaffold shows a
decrease in gene expression of fetal markers and an increase
in mature hepatic markers. Functional analysis at regular time
points over 14 days in culture reveals a decrease in alpha-
fetoprotein production, increase of albumin production and
steady secretion of urea. Further metabolic data demonstrates
that cells enter the TCA cycle and are able to convert glucose
to lactate. Overall, the liver organoid that is generated using
our conditions shows potential for providing a substitution to
the gold standards for transplantation and in vitro liver
studies.
Christine Kim (Oral Biology) and Robert Tarran (Medicine)
Short Palate Lung and Nasal Epithelial Clone 1 (SPLUNC1) Dissociates and Internalizes the Epithelial
Sodium Channel (ENaC)
Objectives: The Epithelial Sodium Channel (ENaC) is
comprised of -, -, and -subunits and regulates sodium and water absorption across the airway epithelia. In cystic fibrosis,
hyperactive ENaC dehydrates the airway surface liquid which
results in mucus thickening and increased probability of
infection. SPLUNC1 is a negative regulator of ENaC (1).
However, the underlying mechanism of action is unknown.
Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that SPLUNC1 regulates
ENaC trafficking. Methods: HEK293 and Human bronchial
epithelial cells (HBECs) were cultured as described (1, 2).
Surface biotinylation, immunoprecipitation, and acceptor-
photobleaching fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET)
were performed as described (1, 3). Imaging was performed
using a Leica SP8 confocal microscope. p
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delivered PTX more efficiently than Taxol, and demonstrated
significantly greater cytotoxicity against 3LL-M27 cells and
MDCK WT and MDR1 as compared to Taxol. Furthermore,
incorporation of PTX into exosomes appeared to somewhat
abrogate drug efflux by Pgp; the exact mechanism behind this
phenomenon remains to be elucidated.
Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that this platform may
provide a novel platform for the delivery of water insoluble
chemotherapeutics to Pgp+ drug resistant cancer cells.
Jae Lee (Mathematics UNC Chapel Hill), Y. Yao (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), U. Shrestha (University of
California, San Francisco), G. T. Gullberg (Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory), and Y. Seo (University of
California, San Francisco)
Handling Big Data in Medical Imaging: Iterative Reconstruction with Large-Scale Automated Parallel
Computation
Currently Big Data refers to datasets that are so large and
complex that it is too difficult to store, manage, analyze or
visualize within commonly available computational
architecture. For example, data produced by sequencing,
mapping, and analyzing genomes may fall into this category.
Similarly, processing and analyzing large volumes of medical
imaging data may challenge expeditious diagnosis. In
biomedical image processing using transmission or emission
tomography, a significant amount of computational time is
required in order to reconstruct a diagnostic quality image. In
myocardial imaging using radiolabeled tracers as in positron
emission tomography (PET) or single photon emitted
computed tomography (SPECT), patient motion and cardiac
motion due to cardiac beating and respiration create unwanted
artifacts in the reconstructed image. Solutions such as cardiac
and respiratory gating, dynamic acquisition techniques, list-
mode data acquisition, and reconstruction in higher
dimensions have been proposed and show significant
improvements over methods that ignore these types of
motion. However, these techniques demand unprecedented
computational time.
The primary goal of this project is to implement the iterative
statistical image reconstruction algorithm, in this case
maximum likelihood expectation maximum (MLEM) used for
dynamic cardiac single photon emission computed
tomography, on Spark/GraphX. This involves porting the
algorithm to run on large-scale parallel computing systems.
Spark is an easy-to-program software platform that can handle
large amounts of data in parallel. GraphX is a graph analytic
system running on top of Spark to handle graph and sparse
linear algebra operations in parallel. The main advantage of
implementing MLEM algorithm in Spark/GraphX is that it
allows users to parallelize such computation without any
expertise in parallel computing or prior knowledge in
computer science. In this paper we demonstrate a successful
implementation of MLEM in Spark/GraphX and present the
performance gains with the goal to eventually make it useable
in clinical setting.
Kathleen Mulvaney (Cell Biology & Physiology), Jacob
Matson (Biochemistry & Biophysics), Dennis Goldfarb
(Computer Science), Jean Cook (Biochemistry &
Biophysics), and Ben Major (Cell Biology & Physiology,
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center)
Elucidating the Function of MCM3 Ubiquitination by KEAP1: Crosstalk between Redox-sensing and Cell
Cycle Progression
While the KEAP1-NRF2 axis is essential for maintaining
redox homeostasis, whether KEAP1 has alternative functions
and how this pathway crosstalks with other important cellular
processes remains unknown. KEAP1 targets the NRF2
transcription factor for proteasomal degradation in a redox-
sensitive manner. KEAP1-NRF2 are frequently mutated in
cancer, most strikingly in non-small cell lung cancer, where
KEAP1 or NRF2 are mutated in 20-30% of patient tumors.
While regulation of NRF2 has long been considered the only
physiologically important role for the E3 ligase KEAP1, we
have determined that KEAP1 binds the master cell cycle
regulator, MCM3, a subunit of the hexameric DNA
replication licensing complex, MCM2-7. Strikingly, our data
establish MCM3 as a new substrate for KEAP1; however,
interestingly, KEAP1 does not regulate total cellular levels of
MCM3, rather it appears to regulate MCM3 function.
As MCM2-7 loading onto DNA is a highly coordinated
process, we tested whether KEAP1 loaded concurrently onto
DNA and indeed KEAP1 loads onto DNA in a similar cell
cycle-regulated fashion as the MCM complex, further
suggesting KEAP1 regulates the function of MCM3 on DNA.
Given the role of MCM3 in cell cycle progression, we tested
whether KEAP1 was required for normal G1 to S phase
progression and saw that loss of KEAP1 retards S phase DNA
synthesis, which is an MCM-dependent process. Intriguingly,
KEAP1 knockout cells show decreased growth and aberrant
cell cycle patterns consistent with a defect in the G1 to S
transition. Overall, these data suggest a novel function for
KEAP1 in regulating the MCM complex and cell cycle
progression. We postulate that KEAP1 promotes cell cycle
progression in a redox-sensitive manner through its
association with MCM3 and that this presents a novel
mechanism by which cells may halt cell cycle to protect DNA
from damage by reactive oxygen species. "
Matthew Powers (Undergraduate / Biology), Edgardo
Sanbria-Valentin (City University of New York), Albert
Bowers (School of Pharmacy), and Elizabeth Shank
(Microbiology and Immunology)
Inhibition of Cell Differentiation in Bacillus subtilis by Pseudomonas protegens
Interspecies interactions have been described for numerous
bacterial systems, leading to the identification of chemical
compounds that impact bacterial physiology and
differentiation such as biofilm formation. Here we identify
soil microbes that inhibit biofilm formation and sporulation in
the common soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis. We did so by
creating a reporter strain that fluoresces when the
transcription of a biofilm-specific gene is repressed. Using
this reporter in a co-culture screen, we identified
Pseudomonas protegens as a bacterium secreting a compound
that inhibited biofilm-formation in B. subtilis. The biofilm-
inhibiting activity produced by P. protegens was identified as
the antibiotic and antifungal molecule 2,4-
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diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG). Colonies of B. subtilis grown
adjacent to a DAPG-producing P. protegens strain had altered
colony morphologies and exhibited delayed differentiation
into biofilm-forming and sporulating cells relative to B.
subtilis colonies grown next to a DAPG-null P. protegens
strain (phlD). Using a sub-inhibitory concentration of purified
DAPG in a liquid pellicle assay, we observed similar
inhibition patterns by quantifying the gene transcription of
biofilm- and sporulation-specific genes using flow cytometry.
To confirm these transcriptional changes corresponded with
phenotypic changes, we quantified the biofilm biomass of B.
subtilis grown using crystal violet staining, and performed
spore counts to quantify the number of spores formed in
liquid cultures. B. subtilis samples that were treated with sub-
inhibitory concentrations of DAPG showed significant
reductions in both biofilm biomass and spores formed relative
to untreated samples. Our results add DAPG to the growing
list of antibiotics that have significant impacts on bacterial
development and physiology even at sub-inhibitory
concentrations. These findings also demonstrate the utility of
using co-culture as a means to uncover ecologically relevant,
chemically-mediated interspecies interactions.
Mrinalini Ramanan (Biochemistry and Biophysics), Peter
Thompson (Biochemistry and Biophysics), Lucia Stefanini
(University of Reading), Mihir Shah (Biochemistry and
Biophysics), Wolfgang Bergmeier (Biochemistry and
Biophysics), and Sharon Campbell (Biochemistry and
Biophysics)
Building the Foundation for a Novel Platelet Inhibitor: Targeting the C1 Domain of CalDAG-GEFI to Inhibit
Rap1b
The small GTPase Rap1b and and its activator, CalDAG-
GEFI, are both critical for integrin activation in platelets, a
key process in thrombosis. Consistently, deletion of CalDAG-
GEFI or Rap1B, the main Rap isoform expressed in platelets,
led to impaired platelet activation and protection from
thrombosis in mice. Importantly, thrombus formation was
also markedly impaired in mice expressing a mutant version
of CalDAG-GEFI that lacks the C1 regulatory domain. These
studies suggest the C1 regulatory domain in CalDAG-GEFI as
a novel target for antiplatelet therapy. To support the
development of this novel approach, we need a better
fundamental understanding of the contribution of the C1
domain to CalDAG-GEFI function. Hypothesis: C1 domain of
CD-GEFI critically regulates Rap1b activation through (1)
CD-GEFI membrane localization and, (2) initial Rap1b
binding for subsequent GEF activation. In Aim 1, we
investigate the role of Rap1b-C1 binding in CD-GEFI
activation. Absence of C1 domain has been shown to reduce
Rap1b activation by CD-GEFI. We propose initial recruitment
of Rap1b by C1 promotes GEF binding and activation of
Rap1b. We will delineate this mechanism by determining
nucleotide dependence of C1-Rap1b interactions, mapping
sites of interaction using protein NMR, and generating
defective C1 mutants to characterize structural changes within
each protein that ultimately promote Rap1b binding to GEF
domain. We have been able to generate HSQCs for both C1
domain and Rap1b, establishing an NMR-tractable system for
studies proposed. In parallel, we investigate the role of lipid
binding to the C1 domain for CD-GEFI membrane association
and GEF regulation in Aim 2. We propose IPL signaling to
C1 is needed for membrane localization of CD-GEFI. We
have strong preliminary data for acidic
PhosphatidylInositolPhosphates (PIP) lipids binding to the C1
domain through both dot blots as well as co-sedimentation
assays. Preliminary dot blots show C1 binds to PIP lipids, and
we were able to characterize the specificity through lipid co-
sedimentation assays using liposomes engineered to mimic
platelet membrane composition. We will confirm this in vitro
data regarding Rap1b activation through C1 binding and CD-
GEFI localization in transgenic mice that contain the mutant
forms of CD-GEFI determined by the first two aims. We
propose both C1 initial binding to Rap1b and CD-GEFI
membrane localization are physiologically relevant
phenomena. We will test the functionality and localization of
generated CD-GEFI mutants in these chimeric mice by
isolating platelets from wildtype and mutant mice for studies
comparing Rap1b and integrin activation levels, platelet
adhesion assays and subcellular localization assays to
differentiate CD-GEFI present in the cytosol vs the
membrane.
John Runge (Genetics and Molecular Biology), Jesse R.
Raab (Genetics), and Terry Magnuson (Genetics)
Defining Mechanisms of Interaction between Chromatin Remodeling Complexes
ATP-Dependent Chromatin Remodeling Enzymes
(remodelers) are highly conserved proteins that regulate
chromatin accessibility and gene expression. Recent deep-
sequencing efforts reveal that remodelers are mutated in 20%
of all human tumors. Studies show that mutation of
remodelers causes cells to undergo oncogenic transformation.
In addition, reports indicate remodelers interact throughout
the genome. This implies that mutation of a single remodeler
may initiate broad defects through the mishandling of
chromatin by other remodelers. However, the types of
interaction between remodelers have not been clearly
established. We present data describing an unstudied
functional interaction between two remodelers, SWI/SNF and
INO80, using genome-wide techniques. SWI/SNF is a well-
studied tumor suppressor and the most commonly mutated
remodeler in human cancer. In contrast, INO80 has less
defined tumorigenic roles and is not commonly mutated. By
chromatin immunoprecipitation in immortalized
hepatocellular carcinoma cells lacking remodeler mutations,
we observed a large proportion of SWI/SNF and INO80
bound sites bound by both remodelers. These co-occupied
sites occurred in the presence of subunits from both
complexes. In addition to genomic overlap between SWI/SNF
and INO80, nearly one-fifth of INO80-sites occurred in the
absence of SWI/SNF and even its own canonical subunits.
The unaffiliated INO80 peaks provide new evidence for
INO80s autonomous activities in genomic regulation. We hypothesize that SWI/SNF and INO80 cooperativity requires
the subunit BAF53A, which both complexes contain. Perhaps
BAF53A recruits both complexes in order to facilitate
combinatorial chromatin modulation. Because both SWI/SNF
and INO80 belong to a large class of ATP-Dependent
Chromatin Remodeling Enzymes, we believe our studies
serve as a proxy for interclass remodeler crosstalk, a major
topic in the field. Moreover, defining the distinct interactions
between remodelers is paramount to understanding the
consequences of remodeler mutations in cancer.
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Philip Wages (Toxicology), Katelyn S. Lavrich (Toxicology),
and James M Samet (Toxicology)
Exposure to 1,2-Naphthoquinone Induces Protein Sulfenylation in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells
Oxidant stress is involved in the toxicity of many xenobiotics,
including environmental electrophiles such as the diesel
exhaust component 1,2-naphthoquinone (1,2-NQ). In
addition to directly forming adducts with biomolecules, 1,2-
NQ also participates in single electron redox reactions that
generate H2O2. Sulfenylation, the H2O2-catalyzed oxidation
of cysteinyl thiols (-SH) to the sulfenic (-SOH) derivative, is a
pivotal regulatory posttranslational modification involved in
signaling. We investigated whether 1,2-NQ induced H2O2
promotes the formation of protein sulfenylation in BEAS-2B
human bronchial epithelial cells. We utilized the genetically-
encoded fluorogenic sensor HyPer to monitor H2O2 levels
and determined that a 10 min exposure to 30 uM 1,2-NQ
induced a robust increase in intracellular H2O2. Cells were
treated with 0-1000 uM 1,2-NQ for 10 min and then labeled
with dimedone, a small cell-permeable compound that
specifically and irreversibly adducts cysteinyl sulfenic groups
on proteins. Protein sulfenics were then detected in cell
protein extracts by immunoblotting using an anti-body raised
against 2-thiodimedone. BEAS-2B cells exposed to 1,2-NQ
showed a dose dependent increase in levels of sulfenylation for proteins ranging from 30 to 250 kD. Overexpression of
catalase effectively suppressed intracellular H2O2
concentrations and blunted 1,2-NQ-induced protein
sulfenylation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of
protein sulfenylation induced by exposure to an
environmentally relevant oxidant. Furthermore, this work
demonstrates the utility of protein sulfenylation as a
functional marker of xenobiotic-induced oxidative stress.
Dongfen Yuan (Pharmacy), Alexander Kabanov (Pharmacy,
M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University)
In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization of Raw 264.7 Macrophages-derived Exosomes as Brain Delivery
Nanovectors
Exosomes are 40-150 nm natural membrane-bounded vesicles
that carry proteins and RNAs for intercellular communication
within an organ or at a distance. The good stability and
biocompatibility of exosomes have inspired their application
as drug delivery nanovectors. We are interested in the
potential use of exosomes derived from Raw 264.7
macrophages as brain delivery nanovectors. Herein, we report
the physical chemical properties of these exosomes, their
cellular uptake and endocytosis mechanisms within brain
endothelial cells, and brain pharmacokinetics in mice.
Raw 264.7 macrophages derived exosomes were negatively
charged spherical nanoparticles with size around 90 nm as
characterized by dynamic light scattering, nanoparticle
tracking analysis and transmission electron microscopy.
Using western blot we confirmed Alix and Tsg 101, two
exosomal markers expressed in the exosomes. To study the
cellular uptake and endocytosis mechanism, exosomes were
fluorescently labeled and incubated with human brain
endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3) for flow cytometry and
confocal microscopy analysis. Exosomes were actively
internalized in a saturable manner via clathrin-/caveolin-
mediated endocytosis and macropinocytosis. Furthermore,
exosomal internalization was associated with exosomal
surface integrin (LFA-1) and carbohydrate moieties. Upon
internalization, exosomes were sorted to endo/lysosomes and
endoplasmic reticulum. Following intravenous injection to
CD-1 mice, iodinated exosomes circulated in bloodstream as
long and stable as albumin, and entered the brain at a slow but
higher influx rate than albumin. Exosomes were mainly
distributed in liver and spleen followed by lung and kidney.
In conclusion, Raw 264.7 macrophages derived exosomes had
appropriate size and charge as drug delivery nanovectors.
They were actively internalized and interacted with brain
endothelial cells via carbohydrate and integrin associated
pathways. The long serum circulation, peripheral stability,
and permeability at the BBB present the potential of
macrophages derived exosomes as natural nanovectors to
deliver therapeutics for treatment of brain diseases.
Adam Engel (English & Comparative Literature)
Delicate Daemon: The Tortured Hybrid in Ted Hughes' Crow
Incisive claws and talons, anguished shrieks, and bodily
decay, expressed in direct, unflinching language, mark the
poetry of Ted Hughes, British laureate from 1984-98 and
infamous husband to Sylvia Plath. Hughes concern with human natures animalistic side is especially evident in Crow: From the Life and Songs of the Crow. For Hughes, animal
violence is bound to spirituality: using language, Hughes
endeavors not only to communicate the violent experiences in
Judeo-Christian mythology, but also to remember the
traumatic history of the twentieth century. To accomplish this,
Hughes uses non-linguistic devices such as sound, space, and
illustration to broaden his poetrys potential meaning. Hughes reimagines artist and poet William Blake's affirmation of the
need for both chaotic energy and restrained reason in artwork;
he translates this project into twentieth-century terms,
replacing Blakes separate portrayals of heaven and hell with a poetic landscape at once mythically abstract and realistically
material. Hughes fusion of forms mimics his blending of semantic language, that which logically represents specific
objects, and extra-semantic expression, that which
communicates experience that cannot be rendered using such
language. By fusing these forms and modes of expression,
Hughes draws attention to the poems role as daemonfor the Greeks, a mediator between humanity and divinity, but for
the modern poet, a conduit between the poets most intimate, troubling experiences and the reader who encounters them in
writing. For Hughes, the act of writing poetry has the
therapeutic potential to help people share violent experiences
impossible to express in everyday language.
Haley Smyser (Undergraduate / Communication Studies)
Scared Straight: Propagandistic Fear Tactics in Anti-Smoking Advertisements
Anti-Smoking advertisements have been in the public eye for
years and are known for using a variety of tactics, specifically
appeals to fear, in order to present viewers with the harms of
this addiction and scare them into stopping smoking or not starting at all. My paper focuses specifically on the FDAs The Real Cost advertising campaign and how their fear
Humanities
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tactics can be seen as an unethical, propagandistic means of
persuasion. These advertisements can be read as propaganda
because they use the assumed universality of anti-smoking
sentiments to allow for any means of persuasion including threatening, disgusting, and frightening language or images that force an audience to accept the proposed belief system.
The intended audience is teen smokers, as the commercials prevalently shown online and on popular television networks
demonstrate a dramatized immediacy of certain side effects of smoking, such as tooth decay and wrinkles. The
disgustingly shocking qualities of the commercial are
certainly effective; however, the ethics of using fear as a
persuasive tactic is questionable. While anti-smoking
advertisements are generally viewed as a universally agreed-
upon beacon of public health, the extreme fear tactics that I
examine in this campaign, as in others, can be seen as forms
of propaganda. Can fear tactics such as these be justified
because they are used in social marketing advertisements for a health benefit or greater good? Even the usage of the
phrase greater good to justify why a health-related appeal to fear is acceptable insinuates something mildly propagandistic
about this advertising campaign. Where is the line drawn?
When does persuasion using fear tactics to convince
audiences become fear tactics being used to forcibly make
others accept a common ideology? This paper argues that,
although promoting a higher societal good, social marketing
campaigns, like the FDAs anti-smoking The Real Truth commercials, are less effective and ethical due to the
propagandistic nature of fear appeals as a persuasive tactic.
George Allen (Geological Sciences) and Tamlin Pavelsky
(Geological Sciences)
Estimating the Surface Area of Rivers and Streams across Continents
Rivers are hotspots for greenhouse gas emission to the
atmosphere. The surface area of rivers is a primary control on
gaseous efflux and is used to estimate global evasion rates.
Traditional evaluations of river surface area rely on: 1)
downstream hydraulic geometry, which relates river width to
upstream drainage area; 2) extrapolation of river width and
length from large to small river basins using Horton ratios;
and 3) empirical relationships between climate and percentage
water cover. Here we present progress on the satellite-derived
Global River Width from Landsat (GRWL) data set, the first
fine-resolution global river width database. GRWL contain
over 910 million meters of North American, South American,
and African rivers wider than 30 meters at mean annual
discharge. We use GRWL to directly quantify the surface area
of all rivers wider than 100 m in three continents and then we
use the strong statistical relationship between river width and
surface area to estimate the total surface area of all rivers and
streams wider than 1.61.1 meter. We find that the surface
area of streams and rivers is greater than previous estimates,
which rely on less direct methods of applying scaling laws on
topographic data. Our estimation of river surface area
indicates that present evaluations of gaseous emissions from
rivers to the atmosphere should likely be revised upwards.
John Paul Balmonte (Marine Sciences) and Carol Arnosti
(Marine Sciences)
New Insights into the Organic Matter-degrading Capabilities of Arctic Ocean Microbial Communities
Rapid decrease in Arctic sea-ice cover is expected to alter
many aspects of Arctic ecosystems. Alterations in carbon
cycling, in part due to changes in productivity, are likely to
ensue. The central role of microbes in the global carbon cycle
as well as their sensitivity to subtle variations in
environmental conditions suggests a probable change in
microbially-driven processes as well. Despite the crucial role
of microbes in carbon cycling, however, we lack fundamental
knowledge about key processes to precisely determine how
microbial communities will respond to the shifting Arctic
ecosystem. In this study, we investigated the organic matter-
degrading capabilities of natural microbial communities from
high Arctic regions subjected to different sea-ice regimes,
from open water to fully ice-covered. We used a suite of
peptide and polysaccharide substrateswhich represent natural compounds found in marine dissolved organic matter
poolsto investigate substrate utilization patterns of bulk seawater and particle-associated microbial communities. We
find that Arctic microbial communities are capable of
utilizing a wide range of structurally-diverse peptide and
polysaccharide substrates. The spectrum of utilized
polysaccharide substrates are more similar in geographically-
near regions, indicating that biogeographical patterns in
polysaccharide degradation capabilities of microbial
communities exist. In addition, total hydrolysis rates of
peptide substrates are higher in open water and partially-ice
covered regions, and dramatically lower in the fully ice-
covered stations, suggesting a link between peptide hydrolysis
rate and sea-ice cover. These measurements of microbial
heterotrophic activity are among the first in the Central
Arctic, and provide a baseline for future comparisons in
studies of microbial activity and functionality in light of a
changing Arctic.
Nicholas Battista (Mathematics), Andrea Lane (Biostats),
John Cruickshank (Biology), and Laura Miller (Mathematics)
Hemodynamics in Heart Morphogenesis
Hematocrit first appears in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryonic
hearts around 25 hpf, while ventricular trabeculae form later
at 72 hpf, for Womersley Numbers (Wo) on the order of 0.1.
Effects of trabeculae and hematocrit in this flow regime is not
well understood. Dynamic processes, such as vortex
formation, are important in the generation of shear at the
endothelial surface layer and strains at the epithelial layer,
which aid in proper morphology and functionality. In this
study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used to
quantify the effects of Wo, idealized trabeculation geometry,
and hematocrit on the resulting hemodynamics.
Ryan Beauchemin (Undergraduate / Physics and
Astronomy),
A New Method for Measuring Kinematic Inclinations of Galaxies in the RESOLVE Survey
A galaxy's inclination is the angle at which we view it relative
to the plane of its disk. The distribution of inclinations in any
area in the sky should be completely random in an isotropic
universe. Surprisingly, we find that this is not the case for
Natural Sciences
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photometric inclinations (those which are easily derived from
the projected shape of the galaxy). We have compared
photometric inclinations with a more accurate method,
kinematic inclinations, which are derived from the
distribution of Doppler shifted velocities in the galaxy as
measured by UNC's 4.1m SOAR telescope and Goodman
spectrograph. We also compare results from two different
codes for measuring kinematic inclinations: one of which
takes a number of points in multiple annuli and fits based on
the averages of velocities within those annuli and the other of
which uses all data points simultaneously. We quantify the
differences between the two fitting methods to determine the
success of their application as a function of galaxy size and
shape.
Raymond Blackwell (Undergraduate / Chemistry) and Tessa
Carducci (Chemistry)
Electron Exchanges in Films of Ferrocenated Au Nanoclusters
Developing a deeper understanding of nanoparticles is crucial
for understanding their application. The properties of
nanoparticles vary greatly with size. Au monolayer protected
clusters exhibit a wide range of properties. The smallest
MPCs (Au25) exhibit molecule-like HOMO-LUMO gaps,
while larger MPCs (Au144 and Au225) display other
electrochemical properties. Electron transfer (ET) in dry,
solid-state films of small ( < 2 nm), monodisperse, mixed-
valent Au monolayer protected clusters (MPCs) that contain
at least one ferrocene [Fc1+/0] redox species will be
discussed in this talk. It has been observed that electron
exchanges are charge and core size dependent over a range of
temperatures for monodisperse films of non-ferrocenated
Au144 and Au25. Below 77 K, the ET rate displays non-
Arrhenius behavior and becomes temperature-independent
signifying that the ET is almost exclusively tunneling. The
temperature independent ET rates follow the same general
trend as the ET rates at ambient temperature: Au225 > Au144
> Au25. Using a liquid nitrogen cryostat, ET rates of
AuFc1+/0 MPC films on IDA electrodes can be measured and
compare to ET rates of Au MPC films. Although the ET in
mixed-valent ferrocene materials is typically facile, the
presence of Fc1+/0 in the organothiolate shells of Au MPCs
causes a decrease in the ET between MPCs. Like non-
ferrocenated Au MPCs; the ET rate of ferrocenated Au MPCs
eventually becomes temperature independent, revealing that
the ET process is primarily tunneling. The trend in ET rates is
identical to the trend seen in non-ferrocenated Au MPCs, but
the ET rate is lower. Forcing ET to occur through the
[Fc1+/0] redox couple, as opposed to the MPCs core, appears to drive ET towards tunneling. Very little change is observed
in the activation energy barrier when ferrocenated ligands are
present, as activation energy seems to be determined by core
size.
Kelsey Ellisq (Marine Sciences), Natalie Cohen (Marine
Sciences), and Adrian Marchetti (Marine Sciences)
Vitamin B12 Requirements within Bloom-forming Diatoms
Take one breath and exhale. Believe it or not, half the oxygen
in every breath comes from marine phytoplankton. Though
you cant see these floating, single-celled organisms with the naked eye, they are crucial to life on Earth. All phytoplankton
are single-celled, but they come in shapes and sizes that range
from ridged spheres to spiny cubes. Over 100,000 species
have been discovered, begging the questionhow does such diversity flourish? Unraveling this mystery requires an
exploration of the nutrients these cells require to grow.
I research a type of phytoplankton called diatoms, and
examine why some species are able to grow without the
nutrient vitamin B12 while others are not. I look both at how
the vitamin affects their growth and how, at the DNA level,
certain diatoms have retained a gene called MetE that allow
them to survive without B12. My findings can give us insight
into how phytoplankton diversity, and subsequent changes in
biogeochemical cycling, can be altered by variations in
vitamin B12 in the ocean.
Mejs Hasan (Geology)
A Story of Fluvial Geomorphology on the Indus River
The Indus River in Pakistan has been engineered for human
needs since the Sukkur Barrage was built in 1936, followed
by dams and reservoirs along all the major channels. Since the
1980s, however, increasing water demand for agricultural
irrigation has led to small dams on narrow rivers. By
restricting water flow, dams allow vegetation to grow on
formerly submerged lands, leading to rivers narrowing
downstream. I used a series of 30 Landsat 5 TM images from
1999-2000, and then again from 2008 to 2011, to study the
downstream effects of five dams built on tributaries during
the mid-2000s just south and east of where the Indus River
begins its descent from the Hindu Kush mountains. The width
of the tributaries was approximated by measuring downstream
river surface area before and after the dams were built. River
surface area can be quantified by a ratio of green and short-
wave infrared light bands provided by Landsat imagery.
Results showed that although the emergence of the dams
themselves are clearly captured by satellite, the rivers
downstream are too narrow both pre- and post- dam to be
evident on medium-resolution imagery. Thus, changes in river
width cannot be detected. However, the images do depict
shifts in surface area of the reservoirs over the dry and rainy
seasons. Furthermore, a large flood which submerged 20% of
Pakistan in August 2010 led to a lingering elevated water
effect on three out of five dams. This raises important
questions for a country classified as amongt the most water-
scarce on Earth, and how reservoir strategy can be improved
to capture more flood and monsoon rainwater for later use.
Carly Moreno (Marine Sciences)
Investigating the transcriptomes of seven Southern Ocean diatoms
Iron and light have been identified as the two principle abiotic
factors that influence diatom growth and distribution in the
Southern Ocean. Although an understanding of the
environmental controls and physiological response of diatoms
have increased, there are few studies that have investigated
the molecular underpinnings for distinct physiological
responses of polar diatoms to iron and light limitation. The
main objective of this study is to identify the molecular
mechanisms for the physiological responses of Southern
Ocean diatoms to variable light and iron conditions using
transcriptomics. Through transcriptomics, the presence of
significant genes and metabolic pathways that are responsive
to iron and/or light in eight polar diatoms in the Western
Antarctic Peninsula region (WAP) will be elucidated. The
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WAP is particularly relevant because it is experiencing rapid
climate change and declining sea ice extent and duration,
resulting in shifting phytoplankton distribution, food web
processes, and decreased productivity.
I have recently isolated three species of polar pennate diatoms
and six centric diatoms from the WAP region for which I will
analyze their growth characteristics and transcriptomes. I am
particularly interested in protein-encoding genes and
metabolic pathways that are affected by variable iron and
light, which can provide the molecular basis for distinct iron-
limitation and photoacclimation responses. By evaluating how
iron and light regulate diatom growth and distribution in the
Southern Ocean, a better understanding of the physiological
responses to these limiting factors will be obtained which will
improve models of NCP and global ocean biogeochemistry.
Evan Reynolds (Chemistry)
Superiority through Selectivity: Unnatural Cofactors and the Enzymes that bind them
Nature uses cofactors to expand the chemical functionality of
proteins beyond that of the amino acids which make up the
polypeptide chain. Heme is an especially versatile cofactor in
nature, having functions in oxygen transport, mitochondrial
respiration, cell signaling, and oxidation catalysis. In all of
these roles, the heme cofactor supplies activity, while the
protein environment controls selectivity towards a specific
purpose. This concept has been utilized by protein engineers
to tune the protein environment towards a specific
application, while maintaining the activity provided by the
heme cofactor. In this way, heme proteins have been
engineered as catalysts for unnatural reactions such as
cyclopropanation a valuable reaction in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and also, as useful contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), for detection of
neurotransmitters in the brain. Although the heme cofactor
provides the activity for these applications, it also limits how
far we can go in utilizing enzymes for these purposes. The
goal of my research is to develop unnatural heme derivatives
that expand the chemistry of these enzymes even further,
allowing us to push past the limits nature has imposed. By
engineering proteins that selectively bind and utilize unnatural
heme cofactors, we can efficiently introduce new activity to
proteins in vivo. Towards this goal I have developed a series
of synthetic heme derivatives with an altered porphyrin
scaffold and/or different metal center. These synthetic
modifications allow the properties of the cofactor to be tuned,
and also serve as a handle around which we can design the
enzyme for selective binding of the synthetic cofactor. The
synthetic cofactors I have developed display improved
activity relative to heme in unnatural cyclopropanation
reactions. In this way, we are now overcoming the barriers
imposed by nature to create more useful enzymatic catalysts
and bioimaging agents.
Chung-Nan Tzou (Mathematics), Roberto Camassa
(Mathematics), Zhi. Lin (Mathematics), Richard M.
McLaughlin (Mathematics), Keith Mertens (Mathematics),
James Walsh (Mathematics), and Brian White (Marine
Sciences)
Optimal Mixing of Buoyant Jets and Plumes in Stratified Fluids: Theory and Experiments
The influence of ambient fluid stratification on buoyant
miscible jets and plumes is studied theoretically and
experimentally. Given a fixed set of jet/plume parameters, and
an ambient fluid stratification sandwiched between top and
bottom homogenous densities, a theoretical criterion is
identified showing how step-like density profiles constitute
the most effective mixers within a broad class of stable
density transitions. This is assessed both analytically and
experimentally, respectively by establishing rigorous a priori
estimates on generalized Morton-Taylor-Turner (MTT)
(Morton et al. 1956; Fischer et al. 1979) models, and by
studying a critical phenomenon determined by the distance
between the jet/plume release height with respect to the depth
of the ambient density transition. For fluid released
sufficiently close to the background density transition, the
buoyant jet fluid escapes and rises indefinitely. For fluid
released at locations lower than a critical depth, the buoyant
fluid stops rising and is trapped indefinitely. A mathematical
formulation providing rigorous estimates on MTT models is
developed along with nonlinear jump conditions and an exact
critical-depth formula in good quantitative agreement with the
experiments. Our mathematical analysis provides rigorous
justification for the critical trapping/escaping criteria, first
presented in Caulfied and Woods (1998), within a class of
algebraic density decay rates. Further, the analysis uncovers
surprising differences between the Gaussian and Top-hat
profile closures concerning initial mixing of the jet and
ambient fluid.
Jen Boehm (Linguistics)
A Phonetic Analysis of S'gaw Karen Dialects Among Refugees in North Carolina
This study provides the first acoustic analysis of the different
varieties of Sgaw Karen, an understudied language spoken by Karen refugees from Burma. Since 2005, approximately
5,000 Burmese refugees have settled in North Carolina (U.S.
Office of Refugee Resettlement, 2012). The Karen make up
the largest group of Burmese refugees, with 1,000 Karen
people currently living in Orange County alone (Parsons,
2013). Sgaw Karen is the lingua franca of the Karen, and it has been difficult to study in the past due to the turbulent
political and social climate in Burma. Sgaw Karen is still widely understudied and faces endangerment among younger
generations within the refugee community, making its
documentation a matter of urgency. Since North Carolina has
the most Karen refugees in the U.S., this study takes
advantage of a unique opportunity to analyze data from
multiple Sgaw Karen speakers from different regions in Burma (Office of Refugee Resettlement, 2012).
Past studies of Sgaw Karen have focused on data collected from only one or two speakers. These studies paint very
different pictures of the phonetic characteristics of the
language. For example, different authors have claimed that
Sgaw Karen has anywhere from three to six tones (Jones, 1961; Lar, 2001; Fischer, 2013). This study analyzes speech
data from multiple speakers of Sgaw Karen from different areas of Burma, giving a more complete analysis of the
language as a whole as well as enabling the comparison of
different varieties of the language. Ongoing data collection
Social Sciences
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has thus far yielded results that show the presence of at least
two distinct varieties of Sgaw Karen in North Carolina. These varieties differ mainly in tone as well as their
distribution of fricatives and affricates. Results from this
study provide the first acoustic analysis of different varieties
of a previously inaccessible language.
Moira Johnson (Sociology)
Personal Control Level and Change as Predictors of Inflammatory Markers
Biological mechanisms linking individual sense of control to
physical health outcomes remain understudied. Existing
research shows that social status predicts individuals sense of personal control. Findings also show that personal control
both mediates and moderates the association between
socioeconomic status and morbidity and longevity. Current
research offers reason to expect that chronic low-grade
inflammation may account for some of the link between sense
of control and morbidity. To better understand why and how
personal control affects patterns of health disparities I will
evaluate whether level and change in the sense of control
predict three biomarkers of inflammation using data from the
Midlife in US Study.
Life expectancy and other key health outcomes vary greatly
by socioeconomic status. Greater exposure to stress-inducing
circumstances and environments heighten the risk of chronic
stress-related illness and increase the likelihood of premature
death among those with fewer socioeconomic resources.
However, psychosocial resources such as the internal sense of
control, or the belief in ones ability to exert an influence over important aspects of life, have been found to buffer against
the negative health outcomes associated with low
socioeconomic status. Yet the links between psychosocial
resources and biological processes have only just begun to be
studied in detail. Personal control likely impacts health by
altering the likelihood that people will avoid and/or
effectively cope with chronic and acute stressors. If so,
personal control should predict low-grade inflammation, a
biological symptom of immune dysregulation resulting from
repeated or enduring stress activation. This project will add to
the existing literature on personal control and health by
providing preliminary evidence on the extent to which
personal control 'gets under the skin' to affect inflammatory
response in middle age. Findings will provide a better
understanding of how personal control operates as a resource
for resilience at the biological level.
Jim Kuras (Geography)
Pregnant at Gezi Park: Disrupting Public Space Through Embodied Performance
Feminist scholars argue that pregnant bodies have the
potential to disrupt public spaces. This potential is magnified
at the site of a political protest. This paper examines how
images of pregnant protesters were used during the Gezi Park
protests in Turkey during the summer of 2013. The events
began as a small, peaceful environmental demonstration
aimed at protecting a public park. A heavy-handed police
response to this initial group was well documented on social
media. Outrage over the police violence resulted in the rapid
expansion of the movement, which would become the largest
uprising the country had seen in decades and a site for voicing
a broad spectrum of grievances. Images of pregnancy at Gezi
Park directly critiqued the pronatalist policies of the ruling
AKP government. Recep Tayyip Erdogan (prime minister at
the time of the protests and current president) had for years
famously repeated that it was the patriotic duty of every
Turkish woman to produce at least three children. The images
responding to this rhetoric, by simultaneously answering this
call to reproduce and rejecting the policies of the AKP, also
contribute to wider discourse on nationalism and identity in
contemporary Turkey.This research employs visual culture
methodologies to explore the messages and meanings of
several of these images. I use a feminist geographical lens for
discussing how the images inform viewers on embodiment,
access to public space, nationalism, and democratic
citizenship. These issues remain relevant for daily life in
Turkey, where republican history and revisionist
contemporary governance continue to complicate social and
political landscapes.
Jackie Lawrence (Education)
Exploring the Relationship between Cyberbullying and Targeted Threats of Violence in our High Schools
Technology is increasingly accessible to todays adolescents, with 95% of teens online at home, and 74% accessing the
internet right from their personal cell phones (Hinduja &
Patchin, 2014). Although the benefits of technology in
education throughout the years have been vast, some negative
side effects have been a point of discussion as well. For
instance, cyberbullying among adolescents has become a
valid concern. Cyberbullying is defined as willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell
phones, and other electronic devices (Hinduja & Patchin, 2014) by intentionally sending or posting damaging or cruel
texts or images (Fredrick, 2009). Hinduja & Patchin (2012)
report cyberbullying rates as high as 24% in students. Of
major concern is that in 12 of 15 school shooting cases in the
1990s, the shooters had a history of being bullied (U.S.
Department of Health & Human Services, 2014) and since the
devastation that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School
in Newtown, Connecticut in December, 2012, there have been
at least 86 more shootings in schools throughout the United
States (Everytown for Gun Safety, 2014). These numbers not
only underline the urgency tha