Poster Session IV: 10:30AM-12:00PM
Posters 1-44
Abstract Volume and Quick Reference Guide
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Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Advisor(s): Dr. Marco Bisoffi
Methotrexate (MTX) is an essential chemotherapeutic agent used in treatment of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common malignancy in children. However, MTX is associated with neurotoxicity, which may result in treatment disruptions and jeopardize treatment efficacy. As understanding central nervous system (CNS) metabolic processes in response to MTX therapy may yield new insights into the pathways underlying neurotoxicity, we used a global metabolomic approach to identify novel biomarkers of MTX-related neurotoxicity in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. Patients diagnosed with pediatric ALL (2012-2017) were prospectively followed for the incidence of MTX-related neurotoxicity, defined as neurologic events (e.g., seizure, stroke-like symptoms, aphasia) occurring within 14 days of intrathecal or intravenous MTX therapy. We conducted global metabolomic profiling of CSF samples obtained during therapeutic lumbar punctures using both gas chromatography(GC)-mass spectrometry(MS) and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography(UHPL)-MS/MS. Metabolites associated with neurotoxicity (p-value<0.05) in a discovery cohort of 12 neurotoxic cases and 22 controls, were evaluated in an independent replication cohort of 14 cases and 29 controls. Analyses accounted for potential confounders, including age at diagnosis, BMI category, and ethnicity. Overall, study participants were mostly male (54.5%), Hispanic (48.1%), and treated on high or very high-risk protocols (88.3%). A total of 314 metabolites were identified in the CSF of the discovery cohort, of which eight were associated with neurotoxicity. Seven were evaluable in the replication cohort, including one that replicated: maleate (Fold Change: 1.12, p-value= 0.0069). This study identified a novel biomarker of MTX-related neurotoxicity, which was detectable in the CSF of patients prior to the clinical onset of symptoms. These results provide insight into potential mechanisms of MTX-related neurotoxicity, possibly through maleate’s suspected role in glutathione depletion and resulting oxidative stress.
Advisor(s): Dr. Cedric Owens, Max Strul
As society continues to progress, there is an increasing demand for agricultural crops. Constantly growing agricultural products results in nutrients deficit in the soil that is replenished by fertilizers. Production of these fertilizers requires large amounts of energy, create pollution, and can cause further nutritional deficiencies in the soil. Overall, fertilizers are not sustainable for continuous agricultural practices. An alternative to using fertilizers is biosynthesis by bacteria. Gluconacetobacter diazaotrophicus is an agriculturally relevant bacteria that produces “biological fertilizer.” G. diazaotrophicus has an enzyme, Mo-nitrogenase, that catalyzes nitrogen fixation to break down dinitrogen gas (N2) into ammonia (NH3). An inhibitor of nitrogenase is carbon monoxide (CO). A second protein, CowN, protects nitrogenase from the inhibition by CO. Although we know CowN protects Mo-nitrogenase from CO, we do not know how, and do not know if there is an interaction between the two proteins. Therefore, our lab aims to understand if the interaction between CowN and Mo-nitrogenase occurs and if it is specific. Our lab determined that CowN directly interacts with Mo-nitrogenase and exhibited hyperbolic kinetics when the dosage of CowN increased. The binding affinity between the two proteins is approximately 1 µM. Furthermore, CowN restores nearly all of the nitrogenase activity at a CO concentration up to 0.001 atm. Overall, this work allows us to conclude that the protein interaction between CowN and nitrogenase is specific, and it enables nitrogenase to remain active in the presence of CO.
Advisor(s): Dr. Cedric Owens
Biologically available nitrogen is vital for agriculture, however most nitrogen exists as nitrogen gas. The industrial method to convert or “fix” nitrogen gas into biologically usable nitrogen in the form of ammonia is achieved using the Haber-Bosch Process under harsh conditions. Meanwhile, bacteria can also fix nitrogen gas into ammonia and can do so under ambient conditions. Bacteria such as Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus rely on the enzyme Mo-Nitrogenase to fix nitrogen. Mo-Nitrogenase is the key player to produce ammonia biologically. Studying this enzyme opens up prospects for more sustainable ammonia production. However, Mo-Nitrogenases are highly sensitive to inhibition by carbon monoxide. Only small amounts of CO drastically reduce ammonia production. Yet, organisms are still able to grow under CO when Mo-Nitrogenase is inhibited. This is thanks to another protein, CowN. Neither its structure nor its method of protecting Mo-Nitrogenase from CowN have been studied in detail. This work explains how CowN protects Mo-Nitrogenase. In vitro enzyme kinetics reveal that Mo-Nitrogenase is inhibited by CO through a mixed-inhibition model. Adding CowN increases CO’s Ki, helping Mo-Nitrogenase tolerate more CO. CowN specifically decreases the affinity of CO binding since nitrogenase substrates still turn over. These results reveal how Mo-Nitrogenase tolerates CO that is present in the environment.
Advisor(s): Dr. Cedric Owens
Nitrogenase is an enzyme that converts dinitrogen (N2) gas into ammonia for plants to use as a nitrogen source. The protein NifA is a transcription factor which binds to DNA via its DNA binding domain (DBD) to activate the transcription of nitrogen fixation genes. NifA is sensitive to its environment, and only activates nitrogen fixation when enough reducing equivalents are available to support nitrogenase. However, it is currently unknown how NifA senses the reducing conditions. In this study, we examine two cysteines which are placed upstream of the DBD. We want to determine if they are able to sense the redox conditions through disulfide bond formation and breakage. Our hypothesis is that there will be a DNA higher binding affinity under reducing conditions than oxidizing conditions. To test our hypothesis, the two constructs of NifA’s DBD, one which contained both cysteines (2C) and the other which contained no cysteines (NC) were created. The affinity of the protein samples towards their DNA targets were analyzed using fluorescence anisotropy. The fluorescence anisotropy values for 2C oxidized and 2C reduced were similar indicating that the data did not support our hypothesis and that the redox state of NifA’s DBD cysteines does not affect DNA binding affinity. Using Ellman’s assay, we further showed that two cysteines from the 2C construct do not make a disulfide bond, offering an explanation as to why they are not used in redox sensing. Although this study did not reveal the redox sending mechanism of NifA, it helped narrow down the possibilities. We will now turn our attention to other Cys in NifA that may work as redox sensors.
Advisor(s): Dr. Jason Douglas
Underserved low-income communities of color in the U.S. have endured an unequal burden of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. This pattern of pandemic-related health disparities has been pervasive throughout history. Yet, no known studies have simultaneously examined social and biological factors that contribute to these concerning health disparities. Therefore, this paper aims to bridge the gap by employing a scoping literature review of (1) the deleterious impacts of systemic racism on COVID-19-related outcomes; and (2) the cellular and molecular mechanisms connecting COVID-19 and hypertension (a comorbidity known to exacerbate COVID-19 severity). My findings indicate that systemic racism manifests in inequitable access to education, which is a major driver of COVID-19-related racial and ethnic health disparities. Further, policies and practices stemming from systemic racism and associated allostatic load may contribute to the increase of hypertension among racial and ethnic minority communities, thus further contributing to COVID-19 severity within these populations. In addition, my scoping literature review revealed that common anti-hypertensive drugs (ACEI and ARBs) did not increase the chances of contracting COVID-19 or increase its severity. These drugs increase the amount and improve the efficiency of the ACE-2 receptor, the same receptor that COVID-19 uses to gain access into human cells. The drugs do not increase the efficiency of the receptors in the respiratory system where COVID-19 infects. It is concluded through this review that these health disparities do not stem from the connection between hypertension and increased risk of COVID-19 contraction for people of color, instead racial and ethnic COVID-19 related mortality and morbidity disparities are a function of systemic racism. We must now shift our focus and research to the inequality that systemic racism has caused in this pandemic. Policies must be enacted that provide equitable access to education to improve the health outcomes in low-income communities of color.
Advisor(s): Dr. Jennifer Totonchy
The central focus of this project is to investigate the role of CD11c+ B cells in human health and autoimmune diseases through an extensive literature review of primary research articles. The results of this project are expected to contribute towards studies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as common variable immune deficiency (CVID), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and multiple sclerosis (MS). This project aims to provide a potential mechanistic explanation for increased autoimmune disease severity by the characterization of CD11c+ B cells that are associated with more severe disease phenotypes and resistant to disease-modifying treatments. Through these findings, current clinical therapies for autoimmune indications could be improved towards the responsiveness from this B cell population. The primary research articles of intended focus in this systemic review include those studying the phenotypic and functional characteristics of the CD11c+ B cell population in various settings of health and autoimmune disease. Although B cells are known to play an essential role in the adaptive immune system through antibody secretion, antigen presentation, and immune regulation, the differentiation and expansion of CD11c+ specific B cells have been implicated in several autoimmune diseases. CD11c+ B cells are hypothesized to contribute to autoimmune pathology by representing a tissue-homing B cell subset that is recruited to local sites of inflammation for activation and expansion by inflammatory mediators.
Advisor(s): Lauren Dudley
REActivities has aimed to transform the undergraduate organic chemistry lab experience through the creation, adoption, and evaluation of innovative learning materials that improve student engagement, foster critical thinking skills, and develop confidence in the undergraduate organic teaching lab. Assessment of our goals required the Meaningful Learning in the Laboratory Instrument (MLLI) which measures students’ cognitive and affective responses before beginning organic chemistry lab (pre) and again at the end of their lab experiences (post). Individual questions were analyzed to gauge student-reported changes in confidence for problem-solving skills and analyzing data when enrolled in an organic lab utilizing REActivities. Significant changes in post survey data between first semester and second semester MLLI responses indicate improved confidence for data analysis.
Biological Sciences
Advisor(s): Dr. Gregory Goldsmith
Plant water-use efficiency (WUE) is defined as carbon gained via photosynthesis per unit water lost through transpiration. Given that WUE captures the coupled patterns in both carbon and water cycling, it has the potential to serve as a compelling measure of plant function in response to both current and future environmental conditions. Our ability to effectively measure WUE over time and space has historically been limited by the intensive nature of available methods. However, advances in remote sensing instrumentation have created new opportunities to observe WUE. NASA’s new ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS), provides estimates of water-use efficiency at 70 m resolution every few days. We used these advances in available WUE data to determine 1) how WUE varies across space and time and 2) test for relationships between WUE and environmental factors. We ask these questions in Switzerland, a country where nearly all of its forests are closely managed for timber production; thus, measures of plant function that can inform management are a high priority for decision makers. In particular, we studied how WUE varies during the summer growing seasons (2018-2020) among forests that varied in temperature, precipitation, elevation, and anthropogenic nitrogen deposition. To do so, we used ground-based observations from 182 sites that are part of a long-term forest monitoring program. Sites with higher mean annual temperature and lower mean annual precipitation at lower elevations demonstrated significantly higher inter- and intra-site variability in WUE. This corresponded to differences in the WUE of the predominant tree species at different sites; evergreens had higher WUE than deciduous broadleaf trees. Surprisingly, WUE did not vary with nitrogen deposition, which has changed significantly in recent decades due to anthropogenic pollution. Our results are consistent with observations that changes in climate are likely to exert control over future WUE.
Advisor(s): Dr. Douglas Fudge
Hagfishes are elongate, eel-shaped marine organisms notorious for their ability to produce large volumes of slime as a defense mechanism against predators. They are commonly found in the depths of the ocean, where they act as scavengers. Hagfishes have been known to squeeze through tight spaces and burrow in a variety of substrates, including sand, mud, and large animal carcasses, but the specific mechanisms of hagfish burrowing have not been widely researched. In this project, we studied the behaviors of the Atlantic hagfish (Myxine glutinosa) burrowing in sand. This was accomplished by observing an Atlantic hagfish in a tank partially filled with sand and artificial sea water and filming with a mounted camera. Videos were used for kinematic analysis of tailbeat frequency, instance and direction of body rotation, and behavioral patterns. It was found that Atlantic hagfish sand burrowing is a specialized behavior that occurs in two sequential phases: the first phase began with the hagfish entering the substrate head-first, followed by lateral tail beating that had an initial increase in frequency, followed by a gradual decrease and rotational movements of the body. This persisted until the hagfish was partially submerged in the sand; the second phase began with a gradual lurching where the body would enter the substrate in a saltatory pattern over a longer period of time. These findings are significant within the context of vertebrate evolution as well as bettering our understanding of the diversity of Atlantic hagfish locomotor behaviors. A biphasic burrowing strategy has also been noted in burrowing and sand diving Osteichthyes, indicating that the lack of a vertebral column and the presence of an elongate body form of hagfishes does not impede, and may even functionally enhance, the burrowing lifestyle of myxinids.
Business
Advisor(s): Dr. Charlene Chu, Dr. Cristina Nistor
Influencer marketing is being used more and more as brands attempt to engage consumers across the world. Social media influencers create organic and sponsored content that engages and attempts to persuade their followers about brands and products. We use three novel datasets to analyze the effect of influencer reach on consumer engagement and persuasion knowledge. Our results indicate that the number of followers (the influencer’s reach) affects the consumer engagement with the content created by the influencer. We find that smaller influencers are able to engage consumers more deeply than large influencers. Moreover, influencers with a larger reach are less likely to be regarded as credible in sponsored posts, suggesting that persuasion knowledge plays a key role in the ability of smaller influencers to engage consumers more deeply. The managerial implications are notable: influencer advertising is an effective promotional tool, but the reach of the influencer is an important consideration for marketing managers as the level of engagement and perceived credibility of the source and message depend on the reach of the influencer.
Chemistry
Advisor(s): Dr. Maduka Ogba
Drug discovery can cost 0.5 to 2.6 billion dollars and take 10-20 years to develop a single, viable drug for humans. This process necessitates strategies for identifying and mitigating bottlenecks in the timeline. The most significant bottleneck, synthesizing and testing drug candidates, is expensive, time-consuming, and without a guarantee of a successful compound. Computational chemistry techniques, especially with the rise of machine learning algorithms, have proven to help alleviate the costs associated with the drug discovery process. Using these tools, drug candidates can be rapidly identified and compared to existing drugs. However, the accuracy of machine-learning algorithms in generating viable drug candidates depends on molecular descriptors gathered via computations. Our group seeks to develop a computational checklist for generating, identifying, and weighing high-accuracy molecular descriptors for machine-learning-based drug discovery. This presentation focuses on small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for c-Src and BCR-ABL kinases, targets in cancer treatment. We use high-accuracy quantum mechanical calculations to explore the potential energy conformational space and three-dimensional molecular descriptors of several TKIs that are FDA-approved or in clinical trials. We compare descriptors from the computed conformational space of these drug molecules to those in the bound inhibitors' crystal structure geometries. This presentation will highlight emerging trends from our data, revealing the molecular descriptors that may govern tyrosine kinase inhibition.
Advisor(s): Dr. Maduka Ogba
Nitrogen-containing sulfur(VI) compounds are commonly used in the pharmaceutical industry to combat bacterial infections. Synthesis of these compounds is typically facilitated by nucleophilic attack of a sulfur(VI) chloride precursor by an amine nucleophile. However, the relative instability of sulfur(VI) chlorides makes selective synthesis challenging in the presence of competing nucleophiles, and hence limits our ability to perform late-stage functionalization of complex natural products. Sulfur(VI) fluorides have become attractive alternatives to the chloride analogs given the increased selectivity achieved with these precursors. However, the increased stability of sulfur(VI)-fluoride precursors and the instability of the resulting fluoride ion byproduct necessitate the incorporation of Brønsted or Lewis acids into the reaction flask. Recent reports show that calcium triflimide activates sulfur(VI) fluorides toward the synthesis of nitrogen-containing sulfur(VI) compounds under mild condition and in the presence of amine nucleophiles and bases. This contrasts conventional methods where strong bases/nucleophiles with elongated heating process were required. However, the mechanism in which calcium triflimide facilitates this process remains to be elucidated, hindering further catalyst optimization. In my research project, we used computational approaches to uncover the likely mechanism for calcium triflimide-mediated sulfur(VI)-fluoride activation. We show that sulfur(VI)-fluoride activation requires ligation and stabilization of the sulfur-bound fluorine to the calcium center during the key nucleophilic substitution step. We uncover why adding DABCO, a bicyclic amine, to the flask facilitates the chemical reaction at lowered temperature and reduced reaction time. In this poster, our complete mechanistic insights on this calcium triflimide-mediated reaction will be presented.
Advisor(s): Dr. Maduka Ogba
Zinc finger domains, tetrahedral complexes with coordinating histidine and cysteine residues, provide structural rigidity in proteins, mediate protein/DNA interactions, and act as redox switches. As redox switches, these domains detect biological oxidants produced by host systems and hence play an essential role in bacterial defense against oxidative cell death. Despite this crucial role, molecular insights into how these zinc fingers sense hypochlorous acid (HOCl) – one of the most potent biological oxidants produced during inflammation – is still in its infancy. This work incorporates computational techniques to investigate the HOCl-sensing mechanism of a [Zn(Cys)4] model for the holdase chaperone Hsp33 protein. The overarching goal is to elucidate the role of the zinc-complex in mediating the reactivity at the cysteines toward HOCl oxidation and compare these results to other HOCl-sensing zinc finger domains previously explored in our lab. Progress made toward these efforts so far will be presented.
Communication Studies
Advisor(s): Dr. Austin Lee
COVID-19 has generated mass changes all over the world. These changes have impacted the way individuals today interact with one another. With interactions shifting due to the pandemic, the world of dating has also been affected. We will work to determine how COVID-19 has promoted change within the motives of online dating application users. Previously, some potential motives included: love, casual sex, and more. The online dating app, Tinder, reported a growth in its user base by 15% since 2019 (Bary, 2020) and 60% of new members joined Tinder “because they felt lonely and wanted to connect with ‘new and different people.” (Tinder, 2021) We expect with the pandemic restricting an individual's ability to meet a potential partner, there will have been a shift now in motives by online dating users — specifically, the motive of physical intimacy. Therefore, this leaves for more growth in motives that do not require physical interactions, specifically companionship. As a group, we hypothesize that COVID-19 increased the motivation for companionship among online dating users. Our research will adapt the Uses and Gratification Theory as a framework to understand how individuals satisfy their relationship-seeking motives through online dating applications. The uses and gratification theory is a socio-psychological communication theory developed by Elihu Katz et al., that focuses on mass media. This theory posits people have a motivation behind consuming media, it describes media as a product that individuals become consumers. Applying the Uses and gratifications theory allows us to understand why online dating users are seeking out these applications. In our research, the “why” will be determined through the specific motivations of online dating users. For example, our survey will depict dating application users as consumers of non-traditional media and reveal how their motivations for consumption have shifted since COVID-19. By asking participants whether or not they had previously downloaded dating applications and also asking for their motivations.
Advisor(s): Dr. Austin Lee
Studies have shown both a positive and negative correlation in mental health and interpersonal relationships from the restraints of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to similar studies, the negative effect is larger than the positive. We will be examining whether the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders were associated with suffering or improving interpersonal relationships in young adults (ages 18-35). Depending on this information, we can assess whether that negatively or positively affects one’s mental health. In a previous study, Anne Krendl and Brea Perry examined the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders on older adults’ social and mental well-being. The results found that older adults’ mental health was negatively affected by the pandemic. The findings also provided that the adults had greater depression than before the pandemic, especially those that felt disconnected from their social networks. This information is relevant to our study on relationships and mental health in young adults as it provides the perspective of older adults. It allows us to measure similarities and differences between the two which we find to be significant. Due to the unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have experienced negative impacts on their lives. Because of the government-issued stay-at-home orders, individual’s personal relationships have suffered (IV). Not being able to see family members or friends has led to feelings such as loneliness, detachment, and confusion. Experiencing a lack of social interaction and losing a sense of closeness with people can cause one’s mental health to suffer (DV). Positive mental health is important to maintain however, the pandemic challenges that in many ways. These feelings of isolation while being separated from family and friends can heighten mental health struggles such as anxiety and depression.
Computational Science
Advisor(s): Dr. Lindsay Waldrop
Peristalsis represents one way that animals can drive circulatory flow. Tubular hearts that drive flow peristaltically are present in many invertebrate circulatory systems, as well as early embryonic vertebrates. Although peristalsis is a well-studied system in many contexts, very few studies have examined the performance of peristaltic systems with different resistive circulatory systems. In this study, we examine the performance of peristaltic hearts with circulatory systems of various resistance through a computational fluid dynamics modeling. Two peristaltic mechanisms were used, opposing sine waves and opposing sharp Gaussian peaks, which allowed for investigating the role of heart tube flexibility. We found that increasing circulatory resistivity decreases flow rates and greatly increases the cost of transport. Additionally, flexibility of the heart tube allowed for greater flow speeds within the circulatory system and more consistent flows in additional resistivity. This provides potential insight into the action and physical limits of peristaltic pumps in terms of driving flow in resistive circulatory systems.
Advisor(s): Dr. Aaron Harrison, Dr. Wenzhao Li
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a unique opportunity to study the effects of human activity on air quality. In the present work, the impact of campus closure on the local air quality at Chapman University is studied using a low-cost particulate matter (PM) sensor to analyze the changes in PM concentrations (PM1.0, PM2.5, and PM10) on campus prior to and after campus closure. Common pollutants (CO, O3, NO2, and SO2) are also being analyzed using the TROPOMI Sentinel-5P satellite. Data collected between Feb 1 and Feb 29, 2020 was designated as the time period representing conditions before campus closure while data collected between April 1 and April 29, 2020 was used for the period following shutdown. These data show that, on average, the measurements before campus closure showed higher amounts of all PM sizes with the amount of PM decreasing by approximately 32% following campus closure. In terms of PM2.5, the measurements prior to campus closure not only showed higher averages of PM2.5 but also recorded a larger number of instances where the PM2.5 concentration exceeded the EPA’s 24-hour federal standard of 35 µg/m3 by comparison to the time period after closure. During campus shutdown, the PM2.5 concentration never rose above 30 µg/m3. Between the time periods, CO and O3 concentrations increased while NO2 and SO2 reported a decreased concentration. These changes in CO, O3, NO2, and SO2 levels are however not believed to be related to human activity as these trends were also observed during the same time period in 2019 when there were continual normal levels of activity. Further studies and data analysis are needed to confirm whether or not these changes in pollutants (both PM and common pollutants) are a result of human activity or annual patterns.
Computer Science
Advisor(s): Dr. Justin Dressel
With the field of quantum computing quickly progressing, there has arisen a need for high-fidelity two-qubit entanglement gates as the foundation for constructing a universal quantum computer. The Mølmer-Sørensen entanglement gate has been shown to work with high-fidelity on trapped-ion systems, however such a gate is still being developed and optimized for superconducting qubits. Here we will present a detailed simulation of the Mølmer-Sørensen gate on bus-coupled superconducting qubits, specifically transmons, with Julia using the QuantumOptics.jl library.
Data Analytics
Advisor(s): Dr. Franceli Cibrian
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent childhood psychiatric condition in the U.S., and children with ADHD can display symptoms of inattention and hyperactive or impulsive behaviors that often require the support from caregivers and treatments such as medication or behavioral interventions. To further assist children with ADHD in regulating their emotions and behavior, the use of wearable assistive technology like smartwatches is being explored, and various applications have been shown to help children and adults with intellectual disabilities in regulating their emotions and behavior. One type of application that is not well documented in current scientific literature is the use of health-related data like the user’s heart rate collected by the smartwatch in providing better and more timely behavioral and emotional interventions for children with ADHD. In this project, we are analyzing the data from 12 children with ADHD including heart rate, energy expenditure, and time asleep. Currently we found that 9 out of the 12 children wore the smartwatch regularly, and their average heart rate was 90.651 ± 24.007 bpm. For future work, we will continue similar exploratory analysis and ultimately use the health data to classify key events for the child and determine when and what kind of emotional assistance should be provided by the smartwatches.
Environmental Science and Policy
Advisor(s): Mackenzie Crigger, Dr. Jason Keller
The nature based solution of urban forestry will be explored in this paper and will serve as an outline for potential implementation. Nature based solutions provide mitigation to climate change, water management, and promote community sustainability. Urban forestry is a nature-based solution that focuses on planting and managing trees in urban areas. Through urban forestry, cities can manage the urban heat island effect and increase biodiversity. This paper entails detailed explanations of urban forestry and will supply possible implementation options for the city of Costa Mesa. Goals, case studies, and communication techniques will be explored to provide a comprehensive background and foundation for understanding urban forestry in the context of climate resilience and disaster preparedness.
FFC
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
The Norse and the Ancient Greeks were both prolific civilizations with rich mythological histories. Something to note about both cultures is that they worshipped more than one group, or pantheon, of gods. These groups can often be split quite neatly into Nature and Non-Nature pantheons; The Norse worshipped the Vanir and the Aesir, and the Greeks worshipped nature spirits like Nymphs and River Gods, as well as the famous Twelve Olympians. In Norse mythology, the Vanir (Nature deities) and the Aesir (Non-Nature deities) lived in separate worlds, but intermarried and acted as extended family. The Greek Olympians were similar, with the gods Zeus and Apollo famously pursuing minor deities such as wood-nymphs. The Greek God Dionysus was famous for his non-human followers, such as the raucous Satyrs and the crazed Nymphs who worshipped him. While these distinct Dual-Pantheons are well documented, I would like to learn more about how they came to be. Were the Vanir and the Aesir once the pantheons of separate Norse tribes? Are these nature-deities the remnants of earlier Greek societies, before belief in the Twelve Olympians spread across the Ancient Greek World? I would like to explore these questions to better understand the rich mythologies of both of these cultures.
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
In Middle Eastern culture there are many identities that have myths. The myth in which I will discuss is The Osiris myth (an Egyptian myth). I want to compare the myth of Osiris to the Greek character Thanatos in some way, or to the death of Odysseus which takes place in the Odyssey. After I compare this myth to another myth or character, I plan on going into detail on pharaohs; how they were buried, in order to give more cultural background to the comparison between Egyptian and Greek mythology. Before providing the viewer with this information, as an introduction I want to compare the creatures and Gods in mythology to Greek and Middle Eastern mythology to define differences and similarities the two may or may not have before diving into the two myths. I aim to progress this idea gradually, with a powerful avenue that will ring true to the audience. The theme of this paper will mainly be death, and the following symbolic meanings that resonate with it. In the Osiris myth, Osiris was either drowned or slain by his enemy titled Seth. He tore Osirus’ body into 14 pieces and flung them across Egypt. The story is morbid and a bit violent. In Greek mythology death seems to be more respectful and paraphrased with less graphic detail. For the Thesis I will tie in forgiveness, and acts of kindness that could have taken course instead of death. Once the paper is finished, I would like viewers to learn to apply their knowledge not just through other myths outside of the Greek world of mythology, but also to apply the themes and such I will be going over towards other cultures, to examine these myths in comparison to their personal identities as well as to the modern world.
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
Death is one of the only things surely promised to us in life and ancient civilizations waste no time in interjecting their interpretation of it. Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece both possess a destination to attend in the afterlife. After of course attributing worship, sacrifice, and belief in an array of gods that bless them in the duration of their life. The general idea that encompassed Greek life was that all things are recurring, it is a cycle of both creation and destruction that breeds new life. On the other hand, the Egyptians believed in an eternal soul that went beyond the chains of mortality when death came. The goal wasn’t to live, but in fact reach that enlightenment brought forth by death, whereas the Greeks celebrated life with unmatched tenacity. The afterlife wasn’t entirely kind, as represented by the Underworld and the realm of the Duat. The soul went through judgment in both places, at the hands of the gods themselves, determining their purity. The Underworld remained the final destination but in the Duat, depending on the soul verdict, one could transcend to everlasting, immortal life, among the gods. Any man could achieve immortality in ancient Egypt, yet mortals always inevitably ended up in the Underworld, sans distinction. Ancient Greek mythological gods maintained judgment in the length of someone’s life, and ancient Egyptian mythological gods maintained judgment afterward.
Health Sciences and Kinesiology
Advisor(s): Dr. John Miklavcic
Essential fatty acids play a vital role in human health. Previous research suggests important correlations between fatty acid composition of human milk and infant health outcomes. This research helps establish a recommended dietary intake for essential fatty acids. Babies who do not consume human milk due to a variety of reasons including insufficient milk supply, maternal illness, and/or disease rely on infant formulas for nutrition. Formulas are currently a suboptimal substitute for human milk, and improvements to formulations will lower the disparity in health outcomes between babies fed human milk compared to formula. The literature review summarizes findings of 21 studies from 2005-2020. Studies were selected if they measured healthy term babies in any time span from 0-5 years old, fatty acid content in human milk was measured and related content to infant health outcome and an English copy was available. Fatty acid relations were reported for docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, omega 6, omega 3, and linoleic acid with the following health outcome topics: body composition, skin, neurodevelopmental, psychomotor, and gastrointestinal. Results show better health outcomes for infants fed milk with higher concentrations of total omega 3, docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and alpha-linolenic acid. Negative health outcomes are associated with higher levels of arachidonic acid, linoleic acid, and total omega 6 concentrations. Infant formula companies can use this research to create formulas and milk fortifier products that best emulate human milk.
History
Advisor(s): Dr. Jeffrey Koerber
The end of the Holocaust marked a point of transition from death to rebirth for Jewish communities around the world. After liberation, Jewish Holocaust survivors became refugees seeking solace and opportunity to rebuild their lives. Following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, many survivors urgently sought refuge in their new homeland. This modern Jewish state allowed a new narrative to form for Holocaust survivors, a post-war experience unique within itself. Survivors were confronted with the difficulty of acclimatizing while they grappled with integrating their past life and traumatic memories into a new narrative for the future. With little understanding of normalcy in everyday life, survivors who settled in Israel managed to continue prospering in their own lives, engaged in relationships, and had families. Within this framework, I seek to explore how survivors sought to rebuild their own lives and families in the new State of Israel despite experiencing past atrocities and trauma. To be more specific, this paper will examine long-term familial struggles that emerged for both survivors and their children in their endeavor to rebuild, coupled with exploring how the war’s lasting effects shaped survivors’ interpersonal relationships and attachment style, ultimately complicating Holocaust survivors’ relationships with their own children.
Advisor(s): Dr. Jeffrey Koerber
In the years before World War II, young Jewish athletes in Nazi Germany as well as German-occupied Austria and Czechoslovakia pursued individual and team competitions in the face of state-sponsored persecution. This research project seeks to understand how Jewish athletes organized and competed under the Nazi regime prior to the outbreak of war, and how their prewar experiences of athletic competition and team cooperation shaped their survival in ghettos and concentration camps during the Holocaust. Years before the Nazis took power in Germany, sporting clubs were established within the context Zionist and other Jewish organizations. Young Jews, who originally wanted to build stronger bodies, sought escape from mounting persecution by turning to sports. Athletics became effective at life lessons, teaching values such as team building and perseverance. Based on primary source interviews with Jewish Holocaust survivors, this research will examine how these young people endured a range of difficult situations during the unfolding stages of genocide under the cover of war: separation from family and friends, confinement in ghettos and concentration camps, backbreaking slave labor. Others, however, were able to go into hiding, yet here too they faced circumstances with their own physical and mental challenges The research will seek to answer how their prewar athletic ability and reliance on comradery contributed to survivability.
Advisor(s): Dr. Marilyn Harran
For the past two decades, scholarship on the Nazi genocide of people with disabilities has primarily focused on Nazi racial policies. Consequently, analysis of the ableist ideological causes of the persecution of the disabled has been relegated to a second-class area of study. Much research remains to be done on the trans-Atlantic socio-cultural and legal antecedents which provided the critical foundation for the Nazi persecution of the disabled. The disability studies approach utilized in this project highlights how ableist ideology, driven by the international eugenics movement and enshrined in law, shaped the progressive Nazi persecution and ultimate genocide of people with disabilities. Two central ideological underpinnings of Nazi Germany’s socio-cultural perceptions of disability were 1) that the disabled are unproductive and fail to contribute to society, thereby constituting an economic burden to the nation and 2) the disabled are weak, sick, defective, stupid, and diseased and therefore represent a threat to the health of the German body politic. Nazi ideology used these age-old ableist myths to justify mass sterilization of the disabled in an effort to prevent the procreation of “useless eaters” that would cause the degeneration of German society. To enforce this ideology, the Nazis drew particularly upon Buck v. Bell (1927) as a judicial model for sterilization policy to create and enact the 1933 Law for the Prevention of Hereditarily Diseased Offspring and later the 1935 Marriage Health Law. Whereas Buck v. Bell constituted the end point for American eugenic policy, Nazi laws and policies went far beyond this step to authorize the murder of those deemed disabled. Understanding the role of ableist ideology in shaping Nazi policy provides a fresh perspective on how the sterilization of people with disabilities developed into genocide and how such ideas continue to influence socio-cultural attitudes toward people with disabilities today.
Advisor(s): Dr. Marilyn Harran
In the 1920s, a city square in the middle of Berlin called Hausvogteiplatz constituted the beating heart of a vibrant fashion industry that rivaled Paris in its glamour, appeal, and profitability. Roughly half of these Berlin fashion houses were owned by German Jews, including Herman Gerson, Geb. Wolff, Nathan Israel, and Sigmund Braun. The discreet labels sewn into their products testify to the prominence of those who designed and created them. The Nazis would end that prominence. Stores that carried these designs were boycotted and vandalized while Jewish designers and manufacturers were stripped of their ownership. The government enabled “true Germans” to expropriate these Jewish companies. Soon after Hitler took power in 1933, an organization called ADEFA-- The Association of German-Aryan Garment Producers -- launched a messy, slow, yet eventually ruthlessly successful campaign that resulted in the liquidation of 60-70 percent of Jewish fashion by 1938. These labels chronicle how emancipated Jews in large part pioneered the designer ready-to-wear fashion industry in Berlin while those that bear the name “ADEFA” speak to the Nazi effort to obliterate their success. So-called “Aryan” manufacturers removed Jews from all aspects of production – from Zwischemeister (production manager) to Heimarbeiterinnen (home-seamstresses) and demonstrated their allegiance to Nazism by using the ADEFA label. Today some labels continue to speak to a collective amnesia that allowed non-Jewish Germans to purchase at a pittance Jewish fashion houses that have still not been returned to their rightful owners. Some fashion houses which had been aligned with the Nazis continued to flourish in the post-war era and beyond. Companies such as Horn and Hugo Boss are two examples of companies that benefited from the destruction of the German Jewish fashion industry.
Pharmacy
Advisor(s): Dr. Rakesh Tiwari
Although chemotherapy comes with a multitude side effects, it is still the mainstay approach to treat cancer. Consequently, alternative treatments are being sought out aggressively. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is an emerging therapeutic option that acts by interfering the overly expressed target protein’s synthesis in cancer cells. Despite its’ promise, there are still some challenges in the delivery of siRNA to the target site. Our lab is interested in developing a delivery tool to effectively use siRNA for cancer treatment, particularly in breast cancer. Fatty-acyl conjugated cell-penetrating peptides have shown much promise as an intracellular delivery agent, but have not been tested with siRNA. The aim of our study is to investigate the ability of fatty-acyl conjugated cell penetrating peptides (HR)4 to deliver and silence kinesin spindle protein (KSP) and janus kinase protein (JAK-2) that are overly expressed in breast cancer cells. First, we investigated the binding affinity of the conjugate with siRNA, followed by testing the cytoxicity profile of peptide-siRNA complexes in MCF-7 cells and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. Thereafter, we checked the serum stability of the peptide-siRNA complex using 25% FBS. Finally, we determined the effectiveness of the conjugate in delivering siRNA intracellularly. Our lab successfully synthesized and purified six fatty acyl cell-penetrating peptides (C18-(R)n-(HR)4 where n = 0,1,2,3,4 or 5). All of the peptides showed significant binding to siRNA at N/P ratios > 2. The MTS assay showed all of the peptides are safe until 30 μM, where the siRNA concentration in the complex was 38 nM. 1% agarose ethidium bromide gel retardation assays revealed peptide conjugates protect the siRNA at N/P ratios > 20. Lastly, the FACS Flow Cytometry data indicates that increasing the number of arginines significantly enhances the cellular uptake by 600-fold in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, as compared to free siRNA.
Physics
Advisor(s): Dr. Justin Dressel
To make use of the proposed benefits of quantum computing, accurate and scalable computation architecture is required. In this project, we present quantum circuit simulation software for the development and optimization of one such architecture, the quantum circuit model. A “quantum circuit” is constructed from a superconducting electronic circuit, and is among the most commonly used implementations for a quantum computer. Such systems have produced convincing results on small experiments, but greater fidelity in the basic operations of the computer, called “gates,” is required to scale the systems to modern problems. In prior projects, we developed tools for the simulation of basic, idealized circuits for the optimization of a two-qubit entangling gate, the cross-resonance gate. Now, we move closer to the physical reality of these circuits by adding potential channels for errors, including leakage to higher energy levels, dephasing, and energy relaxation. Furthermore, to make better use of this package, we integrate our quantum circuits package with another Chapman-developed software package for the simulation of qubit trajectories. We use this software to demonstrate the behavior of two-qubit entangling gates, as well as the impact of methods like DRAG pulses and active cancellation on gate fidelity.
Advisor(s): Dr. Matthew Leifer
The notion of compatibility of a pair of quantum observables is a well-explored concept in quantum mechanics; that is, two observables are compatible if they permit a simultaneous measurement. Hierarchies of incompatibility have been developed for quantum observables that relate compatibility, non-disturbance, mutual non-disturbance, one-sided broadcasting, and broadcasting. Channels, which represent dynamics, can also be incompatible and the aim of this project is to generalize the hierarchies of incompatibility that were developed for observables to channels.
Political Science
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Over the past few decades, religion has continued to move to the forefront of American politics, with many viewing fundamental Christianity as synonymous with the Republican Party. Donald Trump's presidency has increased this tenfold, with significant figures within American Christianity voicing their support for him and tying him into Biblical prophecies. In the media, this appears to have affected how this demographic views the COVID 19 pandemic. The literature in this area focuses heavily on American Christians' response to mask mandates, stay at homestay-at-home other attempts to mitigate the spread of the CoronaVirus; however, research on how this same demographic views the COVID 19 vaccine is lacking. Using cross-tabulations of data from the Chapman Survey of American Fears, I attempted to determine whether or not people who fall into the category of Christian fundamentalist, which for the sake of this research will be those who take a literal interpretation of the Christian Bible, have a higher propensity to be against vaccinations, particularly the COVID 19 vaccine. My findings show that there is a disparity in how Christian fundamentalists and those who do not fall into that demographic view the pandemic and vaccines. When asked questions about being hesitant or fully against taking the COVID 19 vaccine, a higher percentage of people in this demographic responded that they were hesitant about or against a COVID vaccine. I also found that a lower number of the same demographic believe that vaccines' benefits outweigh their risks than in other groups. I believe this topic is highly pertinent in the moment we are in because, to reach herd immunity and bring about the end of the pandemic, we need a majority of the population to be vaccinated. By identifying the drivers of vaccine hesitancy, we can identify which populations may be swayed to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Within only one year of the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, risk prevention, including the use of a mask to prevent spread of the disease, became incredibly politicized within the United States. By looking at mainstream media sources such as CNN, FOX, and MSNBC, in this article I will be examining how news media sources affect the viewer's perceptions of wearing a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic. Relying on the Chapman Survey of American Fear, a representative national sample of U.S. adults, I found that individuals who choose to watch FOX news every day were most likely to agree that wearing a mask was not more beneficial than not wearing one. In contrast, I found that individuals who watch CNN every day were most likely to agree that the benefits of wearing a mask outweigh the consequences of not wearing one. I also found that the majority of people who watch FOX news are republican and the majority of people who watch CNN are democrats. Lastly, I found that the more republican you identify, the less likely you are to agree that wearing a mask is beneficial. The correlation between partisan news sources and the effect it has on its viewers is incredibly important as the pandemic continues to have a heavy toll on the United States. The United States is also one of the only countries in which the use of masks became heavily politicized and the pandemic became a partisan divide. In a society where media continues to have a significant presence, it is important to understand and recognize the ways in which it influences, not only our everyday lives, but perceptions of risk prevention of a global pandemic in which we all play a role in ending.
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Tensions regarding gun control have increased drastically in American society, particularly due to an increase in mass shootings and subsequent media coverage. Many of these mass shootings have directly influenced the youth of America because of the prevalence of school shootings in recent years. In this paper, I will examine the relationship between age and the fear of gun control, particularly in terms of the life cycle effects theory which explains that political beliefs fluctuate with age due to changing responsibilities. Using an original data set known as the Fear Survey, which gathers information on the various fears and demographics of individuals in American society I found a moderately high relationship between older Americans and fear of government restrictions on guns. Additionally, I find that a moderately high percentage of older Americans report not being fearful of being a victim of a mass shooting while younger Americans have the highest percentage. I also find that younger Americans favor liberal ideologies while older Americans favor conservative ideologies which symbolizes a shift in political ideologies as people age. This research will provide insight on American society in order to better understand when political stances are formed and how malleable they may be. Furthermore, it would explain that while a majority of Americans support stricter gun legislation, no regulations have been passed in recent years due to older Americans being the largest representative demographic in government and favoring conservative political ideologies.
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The study of conspiracy theories has existed for many decades, however a new species of conspiracy, labeled QAnon, has surfaced in recent years - QAnon theories are directly tied to current radical politics and former President Donald Trump. My research will aim to explain how the outlandish and often racist beliefs of QAnon followers have come to be not only believed but have affected so many people that a terrorist attack on the United States Capitol occurred as a result. My research will include analysis of the Chapman Survey of American Fears which includes people on both sides of the political spectrum in order to correlate belief in QAnon’s allegations with a number of other different radical theories, as well as use existing research on the basis of political conspiracy belief, the factors that affect it, and the effect that belief of corruption in government can have on belief in radical deviant subjects. This will provide context for QAnon belief because QAnon is rooted in the belief that there is widespread government corruption. QAnon is a relatively new species of conspiracy and thus has very little research surrounding it and its causation. My project will serve to show that QAnon is related to a number of factors similar to the basis of belief in most conspiracy theories but the most principle will be strong belief in corruption in government and other theories where distrust in government or government officials is prevalent.
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The United States and Iran have had many decades of tense relations, this tension has increased in recent years with the presidency of Donald Trump putting sanctions on Iran, leaving the Joint Comprehensive plan of Action of 2015 (Iran Nuclear Deal), and the assassination of the Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in an American drone strike (2020). These actions were a great change of policy and actions from the previous President Barrack Obama who made the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal. This research paper the main question that will be considered is how the mainstream American media outlets shape the partisan divide on the perception of Iran being a threat to the United States and the world. The results are that right wing media portrays Iran as a largely dangerous threat to the world, while left wing media take a more passive and optimistic view on Iran. This should be supported by the views of United States citizens by their political affiliations. The results should show a strong partisan divide for the Iranian Nuclear Deal and the varying viewpoint of Iran’s threat to the security United States of America and our allies.
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The idea that contemporary American politics have become extremely polarized is a commonly accepted notion. In this article, I examine partisanship’s role in determining individual policy preferences. There are competing theories as to what the primary determinant of an individual’s party preference is. Still, it is generally accepted that the individual’s policy positions likely have an influential role in determining party preference. Utilizing data from Chapman University’s American Fears survey, I find that an individual’s party preference is the most accurate and reliable predictor of an individual’s policy position. This strengthened correlation between party and policy has resulted in a lower level of ideological constraint than has been seen in the past, with individual policy preferences rarely differing from other party affiliates. I find that the universality of policy preferences amongst those who prefer the same party indicates a changing dynamic, with party preference now potentially determining some individual policy preferences. This would represent a significant shift in how party identity affects individual political positions, and vice versa. This changing relationship's implications could affect the analysis of policy preference polling results in the future, calling into question whether respondents’ preferred policy positions will indicate public sentiment or only their party’s policy platform.
Psychology
Advisor(s): Dr. Jennifer Robinette
Anxiety is a pressing health concern, affecting 40 million adults in the United States every year. Interestingly, communities of color have lower rates of anxiety disorders relative to Non-Hispanic Whites, despite on average experiencing more lifetime adversity characteristic of members of marginalized groups, such as low socioeconomic status and discrimination. Research indicates that contact with one’s social network, particularly large, closely knit ones among Hispanics, are protective factors against anxiety. However, empirical investigations of racial/ethnic differences in the benefits of social networks on anxiety are lacking. Data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative sample of adults aged 51 and older in the United States, were used in this investigation. The 2010/2012 waves were used to include information pertaining to self-reported anxiety symptoms. Results from a weighted linear regression indicate that Non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics reported more anxiety symptoms relative to Non-Hispanic Whites after adjusting for age, sex, degree of education, and household wealth. Second, reporting more social contact with children and friends was related to less anxiety symptoms. Third, racial/ethnic differences in the effect of social networks on anxiety were found, in which time spent away from children was even more strongly related to anxiety among Hispanics relative to non-Hispanic Whites. Such results indicate that Hispanics may benefit more from increased social contact with their children relative to other racial/ethnic groups in protecting against anxiety, demonstrating the importance of nurturing social networks in order to reduce anxiety in this particularly vulnerable group.
- Investigating Potential Biomarkers for Methotrexate-related Neurotoxicity in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Advisor(s): Dr. Marco Bisoffi
Methotrexate (MTX) is an essential chemotherapeutic agent used in treatment of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common malignancy in children. However, MTX is associated with neurotoxicity, which may result in treatment disruptions and jeopardize treatment efficacy. As understanding central nervous system (CNS) metabolic processes in response to MTX therapy may yield new insights into the pathways underlying neurotoxicity, we used a global metabolomic approach to identify novel biomarkers of MTX-related neurotoxicity in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. Patients diagnosed with pediatric ALL (2012-2017) were prospectively followed for the incidence of MTX-related neurotoxicity, defined as neurologic events (e.g., seizure, stroke-like symptoms, aphasia) occurring within 14 days of intrathecal or intravenous MTX therapy. We conducted global metabolomic profiling of CSF samples obtained during therapeutic lumbar punctures using both gas chromatography(GC)-mass spectrometry(MS) and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography(UHPL)-MS/MS. Metabolites associated with neurotoxicity (p-value<0.05) in a discovery cohort of 12 neurotoxic cases and 22 controls, were evaluated in an independent replication cohort of 14 cases and 29 controls. Analyses accounted for potential confounders, including age at diagnosis, BMI category, and ethnicity. Overall, study participants were mostly male (54.5%), Hispanic (48.1%), and treated on high or very high-risk protocols (88.3%). A total of 314 metabolites were identified in the CSF of the discovery cohort, of which eight were associated with neurotoxicity. Seven were evaluable in the replication cohort, including one that replicated: maleate (Fold Change: 1.12, p-value= 0.0069). This study identified a novel biomarker of MTX-related neurotoxicity, which was detectable in the CSF of patients prior to the clinical onset of symptoms. These results provide insight into potential mechanisms of MTX-related neurotoxicity, possibly through maleate’s suspected role in glutathione depletion and resulting oxidative stress.
- CowN Shields Nitrogenase from Carbon Monoxide
Advisor(s): Dr. Cedric Owens, Max Strul
As society continues to progress, there is an increasing demand for agricultural crops. Constantly growing agricultural products results in nutrients deficit in the soil that is replenished by fertilizers. Production of these fertilizers requires large amounts of energy, create pollution, and can cause further nutritional deficiencies in the soil. Overall, fertilizers are not sustainable for continuous agricultural practices. An alternative to using fertilizers is biosynthesis by bacteria. Gluconacetobacter diazaotrophicus is an agriculturally relevant bacteria that produces “biological fertilizer.” G. diazaotrophicus has an enzyme, Mo-nitrogenase, that catalyzes nitrogen fixation to break down dinitrogen gas (N2) into ammonia (NH3). An inhibitor of nitrogenase is carbon monoxide (CO). A second protein, CowN, protects nitrogenase from the inhibition by CO. Although we know CowN protects Mo-nitrogenase from CO, we do not know how, and do not know if there is an interaction between the two proteins. Therefore, our lab aims to understand if the interaction between CowN and Mo-nitrogenase occurs and if it is specific. Our lab determined that CowN directly interacts with Mo-nitrogenase and exhibited hyperbolic kinetics when the dosage of CowN increased. The binding affinity between the two proteins is approximately 1 µM. Furthermore, CowN restores nearly all of the nitrogenase activity at a CO concentration up to 0.001 atm. Overall, this work allows us to conclude that the protein interaction between CowN and nitrogenase is specific, and it enables nitrogenase to remain active in the presence of CO.
- Characterizing the Interaction between Nitrogenase and CowN
Advisor(s): Dr. Cedric Owens
Biologically available nitrogen is vital for agriculture, however most nitrogen exists as nitrogen gas. The industrial method to convert or “fix” nitrogen gas into biologically usable nitrogen in the form of ammonia is achieved using the Haber-Bosch Process under harsh conditions. Meanwhile, bacteria can also fix nitrogen gas into ammonia and can do so under ambient conditions. Bacteria such as Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus rely on the enzyme Mo-Nitrogenase to fix nitrogen. Mo-Nitrogenase is the key player to produce ammonia biologically. Studying this enzyme opens up prospects for more sustainable ammonia production. However, Mo-Nitrogenases are highly sensitive to inhibition by carbon monoxide. Only small amounts of CO drastically reduce ammonia production. Yet, organisms are still able to grow under CO when Mo-Nitrogenase is inhibited. This is thanks to another protein, CowN. Neither its structure nor its method of protecting Mo-Nitrogenase from CowN have been studied in detail. This work explains how CowN protects Mo-Nitrogenase. In vitro enzyme kinetics reveal that Mo-Nitrogenase is inhibited by CO through a mixed-inhibition model. Adding CowN increases CO’s Ki, helping Mo-Nitrogenase tolerate more CO. CowN specifically decreases the affinity of CO binding since nitrogenase substrates still turn over. These results reveal how Mo-Nitrogenase tolerates CO that is present in the environment.
- Analyzing Interaction of Nitrogenase’s Activator (NifA) with DNA
Advisor(s): Dr. Cedric Owens
Nitrogenase is an enzyme that converts dinitrogen (N2) gas into ammonia for plants to use as a nitrogen source. The protein NifA is a transcription factor which binds to DNA via its DNA binding domain (DBD) to activate the transcription of nitrogen fixation genes. NifA is sensitive to its environment, and only activates nitrogen fixation when enough reducing equivalents are available to support nitrogenase. However, it is currently unknown how NifA senses the reducing conditions. In this study, we examine two cysteines which are placed upstream of the DBD. We want to determine if they are able to sense the redox conditions through disulfide bond formation and breakage. Our hypothesis is that there will be a DNA higher binding affinity under reducing conditions than oxidizing conditions. To test our hypothesis, the two constructs of NifA’s DBD, one which contained both cysteines (2C) and the other which contained no cysteines (NC) were created. The affinity of the protein samples towards their DNA targets were analyzed using fluorescence anisotropy. The fluorescence anisotropy values for 2C oxidized and 2C reduced were similar indicating that the data did not support our hypothesis and that the redox state of NifA’s DBD cysteines does not affect DNA binding affinity. Using Ellman’s assay, we further showed that two cysteines from the 2C construct do not make a disulfide bond, offering an explanation as to why they are not used in redox sensing. Although this study did not reveal the redox sending mechanism of NifA, it helped narrow down the possibilities. We will now turn our attention to other Cys in NifA that may work as redox sensors.
- Fundamental Causes of Racial and Ethnic COVID-19-Related Health Disparities
Advisor(s): Dr. Jason Douglas
Underserved low-income communities of color in the U.S. have endured an unequal burden of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. This pattern of pandemic-related health disparities has been pervasive throughout history. Yet, no known studies have simultaneously examined social and biological factors that contribute to these concerning health disparities. Therefore, this paper aims to bridge the gap by employing a scoping literature review of (1) the deleterious impacts of systemic racism on COVID-19-related outcomes; and (2) the cellular and molecular mechanisms connecting COVID-19 and hypertension (a comorbidity known to exacerbate COVID-19 severity). My findings indicate that systemic racism manifests in inequitable access to education, which is a major driver of COVID-19-related racial and ethnic health disparities. Further, policies and practices stemming from systemic racism and associated allostatic load may contribute to the increase of hypertension among racial and ethnic minority communities, thus further contributing to COVID-19 severity within these populations. In addition, my scoping literature review revealed that common anti-hypertensive drugs (ACEI and ARBs) did not increase the chances of contracting COVID-19 or increase its severity. These drugs increase the amount and improve the efficiency of the ACE-2 receptor, the same receptor that COVID-19 uses to gain access into human cells. The drugs do not increase the efficiency of the receptors in the respiratory system where COVID-19 infects. It is concluded through this review that these health disparities do not stem from the connection between hypertension and increased risk of COVID-19 contraction for people of color, instead racial and ethnic COVID-19 related mortality and morbidity disparities are a function of systemic racism. We must now shift our focus and research to the inequality that systemic racism has caused in this pandemic. Policies must be enacted that provide equitable access to education to improve the health outcomes in low-income communities of color.
- The Role of CD11c+ B Cells in Human Health and Autoimmune Disease
Advisor(s): Dr. Jennifer Totonchy
The central focus of this project is to investigate the role of CD11c+ B cells in human health and autoimmune diseases through an extensive literature review of primary research articles. The results of this project are expected to contribute towards studies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as common variable immune deficiency (CVID), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and multiple sclerosis (MS). This project aims to provide a potential mechanistic explanation for increased autoimmune disease severity by the characterization of CD11c+ B cells that are associated with more severe disease phenotypes and resistant to disease-modifying treatments. Through these findings, current clinical therapies for autoimmune indications could be improved towards the responsiveness from this B cell population. The primary research articles of intended focus in this systemic review include those studying the phenotypic and functional characteristics of the CD11c+ B cell population in various settings of health and autoimmune disease. Although B cells are known to play an essential role in the adaptive immune system through antibody secretion, antigen presentation, and immune regulation, the differentiation and expansion of CD11c+ specific B cells have been implicated in several autoimmune diseases. CD11c+ B cells are hypothesized to contribute to autoimmune pathology by representing a tissue-homing B cell subset that is recruited to local sites of inflammation for activation and expansion by inflammatory mediators.
- Utilizing MLLI to Assess the Experiences in REActivities Organic Chemistry Labs
Advisor(s): Lauren Dudley
REActivities has aimed to transform the undergraduate organic chemistry lab experience through the creation, adoption, and evaluation of innovative learning materials that improve student engagement, foster critical thinking skills, and develop confidence in the undergraduate organic teaching lab. Assessment of our goals required the Meaningful Learning in the Laboratory Instrument (MLLI) which measures students’ cognitive and affective responses before beginning organic chemistry lab (pre) and again at the end of their lab experiences (post). Individual questions were analyzed to gauge student-reported changes in confidence for problem-solving skills and analyzing data when enrolled in an organic lab utilizing REActivities. Significant changes in post survey data between first semester and second semester MLLI responses indicate improved confidence for data analysis.
Biological Sciences
- Spatial and Temporal pPatterns of Forest Water-Use Efficiency in Switzerland
Advisor(s): Dr. Gregory Goldsmith
Plant water-use efficiency (WUE) is defined as carbon gained via photosynthesis per unit water lost through transpiration. Given that WUE captures the coupled patterns in both carbon and water cycling, it has the potential to serve as a compelling measure of plant function in response to both current and future environmental conditions. Our ability to effectively measure WUE over time and space has historically been limited by the intensive nature of available methods. However, advances in remote sensing instrumentation have created new opportunities to observe WUE. NASA’s new ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS), provides estimates of water-use efficiency at 70 m resolution every few days. We used these advances in available WUE data to determine 1) how WUE varies across space and time and 2) test for relationships between WUE and environmental factors. We ask these questions in Switzerland, a country where nearly all of its forests are closely managed for timber production; thus, measures of plant function that can inform management are a high priority for decision makers. In particular, we studied how WUE varies during the summer growing seasons (2018-2020) among forests that varied in temperature, precipitation, elevation, and anthropogenic nitrogen deposition. To do so, we used ground-based observations from 182 sites that are part of a long-term forest monitoring program. Sites with higher mean annual temperature and lower mean annual precipitation at lower elevations demonstrated significantly higher inter- and intra-site variability in WUE. This corresponded to differences in the WUE of the predominant tree species at different sites; evergreens had higher WUE than deciduous broadleaf trees. Surprisingly, WUE did not vary with nitrogen deposition, which has changed significantly in recent decades due to anthropogenic pollution. Our results are consistent with observations that changes in climate are likely to exert control over future WUE.
- Locomotion of Atlantic Hagfish: Burrowing in Sand
Advisor(s): Dr. Douglas Fudge
Hagfishes are elongate, eel-shaped marine organisms notorious for their ability to produce large volumes of slime as a defense mechanism against predators. They are commonly found in the depths of the ocean, where they act as scavengers. Hagfishes have been known to squeeze through tight spaces and burrow in a variety of substrates, including sand, mud, and large animal carcasses, but the specific mechanisms of hagfish burrowing have not been widely researched. In this project, we studied the behaviors of the Atlantic hagfish (Myxine glutinosa) burrowing in sand. This was accomplished by observing an Atlantic hagfish in a tank partially filled with sand and artificial sea water and filming with a mounted camera. Videos were used for kinematic analysis of tailbeat frequency, instance and direction of body rotation, and behavioral patterns. It was found that Atlantic hagfish sand burrowing is a specialized behavior that occurs in two sequential phases: the first phase began with the hagfish entering the substrate head-first, followed by lateral tail beating that had an initial increase in frequency, followed by a gradual decrease and rotational movements of the body. This persisted until the hagfish was partially submerged in the sand; the second phase began with a gradual lurching where the body would enter the substrate in a saltatory pattern over a longer period of time. These findings are significant within the context of vertebrate evolution as well as bettering our understanding of the diversity of Atlantic hagfish locomotor behaviors. A biphasic burrowing strategy has also been noted in burrowing and sand diving Osteichthyes, indicating that the lack of a vertebral column and the presence of an elongate body form of hagfishes does not impede, and may even functionally enhance, the burrowing lifestyle of myxinids.
Business
- The Effect of Influencer Reach on Consumer Engagement and Persuasion Knowledge
Advisor(s): Dr. Charlene Chu, Dr. Cristina Nistor
Influencer marketing is being used more and more as brands attempt to engage consumers across the world. Social media influencers create organic and sponsored content that engages and attempts to persuade their followers about brands and products. We use three novel datasets to analyze the effect of influencer reach on consumer engagement and persuasion knowledge. Our results indicate that the number of followers (the influencer’s reach) affects the consumer engagement with the content created by the influencer. We find that smaller influencers are able to engage consumers more deeply than large influencers. Moreover, influencers with a larger reach are less likely to be regarded as credible in sponsored posts, suggesting that persuasion knowledge plays a key role in the ability of smaller influencers to engage consumers more deeply. The managerial implications are notable: influencer advertising is an effective promotional tool, but the reach of the influencer is an important consideration for marketing managers as the level of engagement and perceived credibility of the source and message depend on the reach of the influencer.
Chemistry
- A Computational Investigation of the Molecular Descriptors of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors
Advisor(s): Dr. Maduka Ogba
Drug discovery can cost 0.5 to 2.6 billion dollars and take 10-20 years to develop a single, viable drug for humans. This process necessitates strategies for identifying and mitigating bottlenecks in the timeline. The most significant bottleneck, synthesizing and testing drug candidates, is expensive, time-consuming, and without a guarantee of a successful compound. Computational chemistry techniques, especially with the rise of machine learning algorithms, have proven to help alleviate the costs associated with the drug discovery process. Using these tools, drug candidates can be rapidly identified and compared to existing drugs. However, the accuracy of machine-learning algorithms in generating viable drug candidates depends on molecular descriptors gathered via computations. Our group seeks to develop a computational checklist for generating, identifying, and weighing high-accuracy molecular descriptors for machine-learning-based drug discovery. This presentation focuses on small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for c-Src and BCR-ABL kinases, targets in cancer treatment. We use high-accuracy quantum mechanical calculations to explore the potential energy conformational space and three-dimensional molecular descriptors of several TKIs that are FDA-approved or in clinical trials. We compare descriptors from the computed conformational space of these drug molecules to those in the bound inhibitors' crystal structure geometries. This presentation will highlight emerging trends from our data, revealing the molecular descriptors that may govern tyrosine kinase inhibition.
- Theoretical Study Revealing, in Molecular Detail, How A Calcium Salt Activates Strong Sulfur-Fluorine Bonds in the Synthesis of Medicinally-Relevant Nitrogen-Containing Sulfur(VI) Compounds
Advisor(s): Dr. Maduka Ogba
Nitrogen-containing sulfur(VI) compounds are commonly used in the pharmaceutical industry to combat bacterial infections. Synthesis of these compounds is typically facilitated by nucleophilic attack of a sulfur(VI) chloride precursor by an amine nucleophile. However, the relative instability of sulfur(VI) chlorides makes selective synthesis challenging in the presence of competing nucleophiles, and hence limits our ability to perform late-stage functionalization of complex natural products. Sulfur(VI) fluorides have become attractive alternatives to the chloride analogs given the increased selectivity achieved with these precursors. However, the increased stability of sulfur(VI)-fluoride precursors and the instability of the resulting fluoride ion byproduct necessitate the incorporation of Brønsted or Lewis acids into the reaction flask. Recent reports show that calcium triflimide activates sulfur(VI) fluorides toward the synthesis of nitrogen-containing sulfur(VI) compounds under mild condition and in the presence of amine nucleophiles and bases. This contrasts conventional methods where strong bases/nucleophiles with elongated heating process were required. However, the mechanism in which calcium triflimide facilitates this process remains to be elucidated, hindering further catalyst optimization. In my research project, we used computational approaches to uncover the likely mechanism for calcium triflimide-mediated sulfur(VI)-fluoride activation. We show that sulfur(VI)-fluoride activation requires ligation and stabilization of the sulfur-bound fluorine to the calcium center during the key nucleophilic substitution step. We uncover why adding DABCO, a bicyclic amine, to the flask facilitates the chemical reaction at lowered temperature and reduced reaction time. In this poster, our complete mechanistic insights on this calcium triflimide-mediated reaction will be presented.
- Mechanistic Insights into Hypochlorous Acid (HOCl)-Sensing at a 4 Cysteine Zinc Complex Implicated in Bacterial Redox Sensing
Advisor(s): Dr. Maduka Ogba
Zinc finger domains, tetrahedral complexes with coordinating histidine and cysteine residues, provide structural rigidity in proteins, mediate protein/DNA interactions, and act as redox switches. As redox switches, these domains detect biological oxidants produced by host systems and hence play an essential role in bacterial defense against oxidative cell death. Despite this crucial role, molecular insights into how these zinc fingers sense hypochlorous acid (HOCl) – one of the most potent biological oxidants produced during inflammation – is still in its infancy. This work incorporates computational techniques to investigate the HOCl-sensing mechanism of a [Zn(Cys)4] model for the holdase chaperone Hsp33 protein. The overarching goal is to elucidate the role of the zinc-complex in mediating the reactivity at the cysteines toward HOCl oxidation and compare these results to other HOCl-sensing zinc finger domains previously explored in our lab. Progress made toward these efforts so far will be presented.
Communication Studies
- A Shift in Motivation: How Online Dating has Changed During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Advisor(s): Dr. Austin Lee
COVID-19 has generated mass changes all over the world. These changes have impacted the way individuals today interact with one another. With interactions shifting due to the pandemic, the world of dating has also been affected. We will work to determine how COVID-19 has promoted change within the motives of online dating application users. Previously, some potential motives included: love, casual sex, and more. The online dating app, Tinder, reported a growth in its user base by 15% since 2019 (Bary, 2020) and 60% of new members joined Tinder “because they felt lonely and wanted to connect with ‘new and different people.” (Tinder, 2021) We expect with the pandemic restricting an individual's ability to meet a potential partner, there will have been a shift now in motives by online dating users — specifically, the motive of physical intimacy. Therefore, this leaves for more growth in motives that do not require physical interactions, specifically companionship. As a group, we hypothesize that COVID-19 increased the motivation for companionship among online dating users. Our research will adapt the Uses and Gratification Theory as a framework to understand how individuals satisfy their relationship-seeking motives through online dating applications. The uses and gratification theory is a socio-psychological communication theory developed by Elihu Katz et al., that focuses on mass media. This theory posits people have a motivation behind consuming media, it describes media as a product that individuals become consumers. Applying the Uses and gratifications theory allows us to understand why online dating users are seeking out these applications. In our research, the “why” will be determined through the specific motivations of online dating users. For example, our survey will depict dating application users as consumers of non-traditional media and reveal how their motivations for consumption have shifted since COVID-19. By asking participants whether or not they had previously downloaded dating applications and also asking for their motivations.
- How Mental Health and Relationships are Affected by COVID-19
Advisor(s): Dr. Austin Lee
Studies have shown both a positive and negative correlation in mental health and interpersonal relationships from the restraints of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to similar studies, the negative effect is larger than the positive. We will be examining whether the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders were associated with suffering or improving interpersonal relationships in young adults (ages 18-35). Depending on this information, we can assess whether that negatively or positively affects one’s mental health. In a previous study, Anne Krendl and Brea Perry examined the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders on older adults’ social and mental well-being. The results found that older adults’ mental health was negatively affected by the pandemic. The findings also provided that the adults had greater depression than before the pandemic, especially those that felt disconnected from their social networks. This information is relevant to our study on relationships and mental health in young adults as it provides the perspective of older adults. It allows us to measure similarities and differences between the two which we find to be significant. Due to the unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have experienced negative impacts on their lives. Because of the government-issued stay-at-home orders, individual’s personal relationships have suffered (IV). Not being able to see family members or friends has led to feelings such as loneliness, detachment, and confusion. Experiencing a lack of social interaction and losing a sense of closeness with people can cause one’s mental health to suffer (DV). Positive mental health is important to maintain however, the pandemic challenges that in many ways. These feelings of isolation while being separated from family and friends can heighten mental health struggles such as anxiety and depression.
Computational Science
- Circulatory Resistivity Increases Costs of Circulatory Transport in Peristaltic Systems
Advisor(s): Dr. Lindsay Waldrop
Peristalsis represents one way that animals can drive circulatory flow. Tubular hearts that drive flow peristaltically are present in many invertebrate circulatory systems, as well as early embryonic vertebrates. Although peristalsis is a well-studied system in many contexts, very few studies have examined the performance of peristaltic systems with different resistive circulatory systems. In this study, we examine the performance of peristaltic hearts with circulatory systems of various resistance through a computational fluid dynamics modeling. Two peristaltic mechanisms were used, opposing sine waves and opposing sharp Gaussian peaks, which allowed for investigating the role of heart tube flexibility. We found that increasing circulatory resistivity decreases flow rates and greatly increases the cost of transport. Additionally, flexibility of the heart tube allowed for greater flow speeds within the circulatory system and more consistent flows in additional resistivity. This provides potential insight into the action and physical limits of peristaltic pumps in terms of driving flow in resistive circulatory systems.
- A Case Study on the Impact of the COVID-19 Shutdown on Campus Air Quality at Chapman University: Measuring PM1.0, PM2.5, PM10, CO, O3, NO2, and SO2 levels
Advisor(s): Dr. Aaron Harrison, Dr. Wenzhao Li
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a unique opportunity to study the effects of human activity on air quality. In the present work, the impact of campus closure on the local air quality at Chapman University is studied using a low-cost particulate matter (PM) sensor to analyze the changes in PM concentrations (PM1.0, PM2.5, and PM10) on campus prior to and after campus closure. Common pollutants (CO, O3, NO2, and SO2) are also being analyzed using the TROPOMI Sentinel-5P satellite. Data collected between Feb 1 and Feb 29, 2020 was designated as the time period representing conditions before campus closure while data collected between April 1 and April 29, 2020 was used for the period following shutdown. These data show that, on average, the measurements before campus closure showed higher amounts of all PM sizes with the amount of PM decreasing by approximately 32% following campus closure. In terms of PM2.5, the measurements prior to campus closure not only showed higher averages of PM2.5 but also recorded a larger number of instances where the PM2.5 concentration exceeded the EPA’s 24-hour federal standard of 35 µg/m3 by comparison to the time period after closure. During campus shutdown, the PM2.5 concentration never rose above 30 µg/m3. Between the time periods, CO and O3 concentrations increased while NO2 and SO2 reported a decreased concentration. These changes in CO, O3, NO2, and SO2 levels are however not believed to be related to human activity as these trends were also observed during the same time period in 2019 when there were continual normal levels of activity. Further studies and data analysis are needed to confirm whether or not these changes in pollutants (both PM and common pollutants) are a result of human activity or annual patterns.
Computer Science
- Demonstration of the Mølmer-Sørensen Gate for Bus-Coupled Superconducting Qubits
Advisor(s): Dr. Justin Dressel
With the field of quantum computing quickly progressing, there has arisen a need for high-fidelity two-qubit entanglement gates as the foundation for constructing a universal quantum computer. The Mølmer-Sørensen entanglement gate has been shown to work with high-fidelity on trapped-ion systems, however such a gate is still being developed and optimized for superconducting qubits. Here we will present a detailed simulation of the Mølmer-Sørensen gate on bus-coupled superconducting qubits, specifically transmons, with Julia using the QuantumOptics.jl library.
Data Analytics
- How can Health Data be Used to Provide Better Emotional Assistance to Children with ADHD?
Advisor(s): Dr. Franceli Cibrian
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent childhood psychiatric condition in the U.S., and children with ADHD can display symptoms of inattention and hyperactive or impulsive behaviors that often require the support from caregivers and treatments such as medication or behavioral interventions. To further assist children with ADHD in regulating their emotions and behavior, the use of wearable assistive technology like smartwatches is being explored, and various applications have been shown to help children and adults with intellectual disabilities in regulating their emotions and behavior. One type of application that is not well documented in current scientific literature is the use of health-related data like the user’s heart rate collected by the smartwatch in providing better and more timely behavioral and emotional interventions for children with ADHD. In this project, we are analyzing the data from 12 children with ADHD including heart rate, energy expenditure, and time asleep. Currently we found that 9 out of the 12 children wore the smartwatch regularly, and their average heart rate was 90.651 ± 24.007 bpm. For future work, we will continue similar exploratory analysis and ultimately use the health data to classify key events for the child and determine when and what kind of emotional assistance should be provided by the smartwatches.
Environmental Science and Policy
- Nature Based Solutions: Urban Forestry
Advisor(s): Mackenzie Crigger, Dr. Jason Keller
The nature based solution of urban forestry will be explored in this paper and will serve as an outline for potential implementation. Nature based solutions provide mitigation to climate change, water management, and promote community sustainability. Urban forestry is a nature-based solution that focuses on planting and managing trees in urban areas. Through urban forestry, cities can manage the urban heat island effect and increase biodiversity. This paper entails detailed explanations of urban forestry and will supply possible implementation options for the city of Costa Mesa. Goals, case studies, and communication techniques will be explored to provide a comprehensive background and foundation for understanding urban forestry in the context of climate resilience and disaster preparedness.
FFC
- Dual-Pantheons: Nature and Non-Nature Deities in Norse and Greek Mythology
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
The Norse and the Ancient Greeks were both prolific civilizations with rich mythological histories. Something to note about both cultures is that they worshipped more than one group, or pantheon, of gods. These groups can often be split quite neatly into Nature and Non-Nature pantheons; The Norse worshipped the Vanir and the Aesir, and the Greeks worshipped nature spirits like Nymphs and River Gods, as well as the famous Twelve Olympians. In Norse mythology, the Vanir (Nature deities) and the Aesir (Non-Nature deities) lived in separate worlds, but intermarried and acted as extended family. The Greek Olympians were similar, with the gods Zeus and Apollo famously pursuing minor deities such as wood-nymphs. The Greek God Dionysus was famous for his non-human followers, such as the raucous Satyrs and the crazed Nymphs who worshipped him. While these distinct Dual-Pantheons are well documented, I would like to learn more about how they came to be. Were the Vanir and the Aesir once the pantheons of separate Norse tribes? Are these nature-deities the remnants of earlier Greek societies, before belief in the Twelve Olympians spread across the Ancient Greek World? I would like to explore these questions to better understand the rich mythologies of both of these cultures.
- Examining Comparison
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
In Middle Eastern culture there are many identities that have myths. The myth in which I will discuss is The Osiris myth (an Egyptian myth). I want to compare the myth of Osiris to the Greek character Thanatos in some way, or to the death of Odysseus which takes place in the Odyssey. After I compare this myth to another myth or character, I plan on going into detail on pharaohs; how they were buried, in order to give more cultural background to the comparison between Egyptian and Greek mythology. Before providing the viewer with this information, as an introduction I want to compare the creatures and Gods in mythology to Greek and Middle Eastern mythology to define differences and similarities the two may or may not have before diving into the two myths. I aim to progress this idea gradually, with a powerful avenue that will ring true to the audience. The theme of this paper will mainly be death, and the following symbolic meanings that resonate with it. In the Osiris myth, Osiris was either drowned or slain by his enemy titled Seth. He tore Osirus’ body into 14 pieces and flung them across Egypt. The story is morbid and a bit violent. In Greek mythology death seems to be more respectful and paraphrased with less graphic detail. For the Thesis I will tie in forgiveness, and acts of kindness that could have taken course instead of death. Once the paper is finished, I would like viewers to learn to apply their knowledge not just through other myths outside of the Greek world of mythology, but also to apply the themes and such I will be going over towards other cultures, to examine these myths in comparison to their personal identities as well as to the modern world.
- How to Deal with Death: Ancient Egypt vs. Ancient Greece
Advisor(s): Dr. Julye Bidmead
Death is one of the only things surely promised to us in life and ancient civilizations waste no time in interjecting their interpretation of it. Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece both possess a destination to attend in the afterlife. After of course attributing worship, sacrifice, and belief in an array of gods that bless them in the duration of their life. The general idea that encompassed Greek life was that all things are recurring, it is a cycle of both creation and destruction that breeds new life. On the other hand, the Egyptians believed in an eternal soul that went beyond the chains of mortality when death came. The goal wasn’t to live, but in fact reach that enlightenment brought forth by death, whereas the Greeks celebrated life with unmatched tenacity. The afterlife wasn’t entirely kind, as represented by the Underworld and the realm of the Duat. The soul went through judgment in both places, at the hands of the gods themselves, determining their purity. The Underworld remained the final destination but in the Duat, depending on the soul verdict, one could transcend to everlasting, immortal life, among the gods. Any man could achieve immortality in ancient Egypt, yet mortals always inevitably ended up in the Underworld, sans distinction. Ancient Greek mythological gods maintained judgment in the length of someone’s life, and ancient Egyptian mythological gods maintained judgment afterward.
Health Sciences and Kinesiology
- Literature Review: Relation of Fatty Acid Composition in Human Milk to Human Health Outcomes
Advisor(s): Dr. John Miklavcic
Essential fatty acids play a vital role in human health. Previous research suggests important correlations between fatty acid composition of human milk and infant health outcomes. This research helps establish a recommended dietary intake for essential fatty acids. Babies who do not consume human milk due to a variety of reasons including insufficient milk supply, maternal illness, and/or disease rely on infant formulas for nutrition. Formulas are currently a suboptimal substitute for human milk, and improvements to formulations will lower the disparity in health outcomes between babies fed human milk compared to formula. The literature review summarizes findings of 21 studies from 2005-2020. Studies were selected if they measured healthy term babies in any time span from 0-5 years old, fatty acid content in human milk was measured and related content to infant health outcome and an English copy was available. Fatty acid relations were reported for docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, omega 6, omega 3, and linoleic acid with the following health outcome topics: body composition, skin, neurodevelopmental, psychomotor, and gastrointestinal. Results show better health outcomes for infants fed milk with higher concentrations of total omega 3, docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and alpha-linolenic acid. Negative health outcomes are associated with higher levels of arachidonic acid, linoleic acid, and total omega 6 concentrations. Infant formula companies can use this research to create formulas and milk fortifier products that best emulate human milk.
History
- Transitioning to a Postwar Era: The Intergenerational Impact of the Holocaust on Survivors and Their Children Upon Settling in Israel
Advisor(s): Dr. Jeffrey Koerber
The end of the Holocaust marked a point of transition from death to rebirth for Jewish communities around the world. After liberation, Jewish Holocaust survivors became refugees seeking solace and opportunity to rebuild their lives. Following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, many survivors urgently sought refuge in their new homeland. This modern Jewish state allowed a new narrative to form for Holocaust survivors, a post-war experience unique within itself. Survivors were confronted with the difficulty of acclimatizing while they grappled with integrating their past life and traumatic memories into a new narrative for the future. With little understanding of normalcy in everyday life, survivors who settled in Israel managed to continue prospering in their own lives, engaged in relationships, and had families. Within this framework, I seek to explore how survivors sought to rebuild their own lives and families in the new State of Israel despite experiencing past atrocities and trauma. To be more specific, this paper will examine long-term familial struggles that emerged for both survivors and their children in their endeavor to rebuild, coupled with exploring how the war’s lasting effects shaped survivors’ interpersonal relationships and attachment style, ultimately complicating Holocaust survivors’ relationships with their own children.
- Surviving Through the Lessons of Sports
Advisor(s): Dr. Jeffrey Koerber
In the years before World War II, young Jewish athletes in Nazi Germany as well as German-occupied Austria and Czechoslovakia pursued individual and team competitions in the face of state-sponsored persecution. This research project seeks to understand how Jewish athletes organized and competed under the Nazi regime prior to the outbreak of war, and how their prewar experiences of athletic competition and team cooperation shaped their survival in ghettos and concentration camps during the Holocaust. Years before the Nazis took power in Germany, sporting clubs were established within the context Zionist and other Jewish organizations. Young Jews, who originally wanted to build stronger bodies, sought escape from mounting persecution by turning to sports. Athletics became effective at life lessons, teaching values such as team building and perseverance. Based on primary source interviews with Jewish Holocaust survivors, this research will examine how these young people endured a range of difficult situations during the unfolding stages of genocide under the cover of war: separation from family and friends, confinement in ghettos and concentration camps, backbreaking slave labor. Others, however, were able to go into hiding, yet here too they faced circumstances with their own physical and mental challenges The research will seek to answer how their prewar athletic ability and reliance on comradery contributed to survivability.
- Ableist Ideology and the Law: Nazi Germany’s Genocide of People with Disabilities
Advisor(s): Dr. Marilyn Harran
For the past two decades, scholarship on the Nazi genocide of people with disabilities has primarily focused on Nazi racial policies. Consequently, analysis of the ableist ideological causes of the persecution of the disabled has been relegated to a second-class area of study. Much research remains to be done on the trans-Atlantic socio-cultural and legal antecedents which provided the critical foundation for the Nazi persecution of the disabled. The disability studies approach utilized in this project highlights how ableist ideology, driven by the international eugenics movement and enshrined in law, shaped the progressive Nazi persecution and ultimate genocide of people with disabilities. Two central ideological underpinnings of Nazi Germany’s socio-cultural perceptions of disability were 1) that the disabled are unproductive and fail to contribute to society, thereby constituting an economic burden to the nation and 2) the disabled are weak, sick, defective, stupid, and diseased and therefore represent a threat to the health of the German body politic. Nazi ideology used these age-old ableist myths to justify mass sterilization of the disabled in an effort to prevent the procreation of “useless eaters” that would cause the degeneration of German society. To enforce this ideology, the Nazis drew particularly upon Buck v. Bell (1927) as a judicial model for sterilization policy to create and enact the 1933 Law for the Prevention of Hereditarily Diseased Offspring and later the 1935 Marriage Health Law. Whereas Buck v. Bell constituted the end point for American eugenic policy, Nazi laws and policies went far beyond this step to authorize the murder of those deemed disabled. Understanding the role of ableist ideology in shaping Nazi policy provides a fresh perspective on how the sterilization of people with disabilities developed into genocide and how such ideas continue to influence socio-cultural attitudes toward people with disabilities today.
- Aryanization and Theft: The Nazi Targeting of the Jewish Fashion Industry
Advisor(s): Dr. Marilyn Harran
In the 1920s, a city square in the middle of Berlin called Hausvogteiplatz constituted the beating heart of a vibrant fashion industry that rivaled Paris in its glamour, appeal, and profitability. Roughly half of these Berlin fashion houses were owned by German Jews, including Herman Gerson, Geb. Wolff, Nathan Israel, and Sigmund Braun. The discreet labels sewn into their products testify to the prominence of those who designed and created them. The Nazis would end that prominence. Stores that carried these designs were boycotted and vandalized while Jewish designers and manufacturers were stripped of their ownership. The government enabled “true Germans” to expropriate these Jewish companies. Soon after Hitler took power in 1933, an organization called ADEFA-- The Association of German-Aryan Garment Producers -- launched a messy, slow, yet eventually ruthlessly successful campaign that resulted in the liquidation of 60-70 percent of Jewish fashion by 1938. These labels chronicle how emancipated Jews in large part pioneered the designer ready-to-wear fashion industry in Berlin while those that bear the name “ADEFA” speak to the Nazi effort to obliterate their success. So-called “Aryan” manufacturers removed Jews from all aspects of production – from Zwischemeister (production manager) to Heimarbeiterinnen (home-seamstresses) and demonstrated their allegiance to Nazism by using the ADEFA label. Today some labels continue to speak to a collective amnesia that allowed non-Jewish Germans to purchase at a pittance Jewish fashion houses that have still not been returned to their rightful owners. Some fashion houses which had been aligned with the Nazis continued to flourish in the post-war era and beyond. Companies such as Horn and Hugo Boss are two examples of companies that benefited from the destruction of the German Jewish fashion industry.
Pharmacy
- Tumor Targeted Delivery of siRNA via Fatty Acyl Conjugates of Cell-Penetrating Peptides
Advisor(s): Dr. Rakesh Tiwari
Although chemotherapy comes with a multitude side effects, it is still the mainstay approach to treat cancer. Consequently, alternative treatments are being sought out aggressively. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is an emerging therapeutic option that acts by interfering the overly expressed target protein’s synthesis in cancer cells. Despite its’ promise, there are still some challenges in the delivery of siRNA to the target site. Our lab is interested in developing a delivery tool to effectively use siRNA for cancer treatment, particularly in breast cancer. Fatty-acyl conjugated cell-penetrating peptides have shown much promise as an intracellular delivery agent, but have not been tested with siRNA. The aim of our study is to investigate the ability of fatty-acyl conjugated cell penetrating peptides (HR)4 to deliver and silence kinesin spindle protein (KSP) and janus kinase protein (JAK-2) that are overly expressed in breast cancer cells. First, we investigated the binding affinity of the conjugate with siRNA, followed by testing the cytoxicity profile of peptide-siRNA complexes in MCF-7 cells and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. Thereafter, we checked the serum stability of the peptide-siRNA complex using 25% FBS. Finally, we determined the effectiveness of the conjugate in delivering siRNA intracellularly. Our lab successfully synthesized and purified six fatty acyl cell-penetrating peptides (C18-(R)n-(HR)4 where n = 0,1,2,3,4 or 5). All of the peptides showed significant binding to siRNA at N/P ratios > 2. The MTS assay showed all of the peptides are safe until 30 μM, where the siRNA concentration in the complex was 38 nM. 1% agarose ethidium bromide gel retardation assays revealed peptide conjugates protect the siRNA at N/P ratios > 20. Lastly, the FACS Flow Cytometry data indicates that increasing the number of arginines significantly enhances the cellular uptake by 600-fold in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, as compared to free siRNA.
Physics
- Simulation of Error and Trajectories in Quantum Circuits
Advisor(s): Dr. Justin Dressel
To make use of the proposed benefits of quantum computing, accurate and scalable computation architecture is required. In this project, we present quantum circuit simulation software for the development and optimization of one such architecture, the quantum circuit model. A “quantum circuit” is constructed from a superconducting electronic circuit, and is among the most commonly used implementations for a quantum computer. Such systems have produced convincing results on small experiments, but greater fidelity in the basic operations of the computer, called “gates,” is required to scale the systems to modern problems. In prior projects, we developed tools for the simulation of basic, idealized circuits for the optimization of a two-qubit entangling gate, the cross-resonance gate. Now, we move closer to the physical reality of these circuits by adding potential channels for errors, including leakage to higher energy levels, dephasing, and energy relaxation. Furthermore, to make better use of this package, we integrate our quantum circuits package with another Chapman-developed software package for the simulation of qubit trajectories. We use this software to demonstrate the behavior of two-qubit entangling gates, as well as the impact of methods like DRAG pulses and active cancellation on gate fidelity.
- The Relational Hierarchy of Quantum Channels: Generalizing From Compatibility to Broadcasting
Advisor(s): Dr. Matthew Leifer
The notion of compatibility of a pair of quantum observables is a well-explored concept in quantum mechanics; that is, two observables are compatible if they permit a simultaneous measurement. Hierarchies of incompatibility have been developed for quantum observables that relate compatibility, non-disturbance, mutual non-disturbance, one-sided broadcasting, and broadcasting. Channels, which represent dynamics, can also be incompatible and the aim of this project is to generalize the hierarchies of incompatibility that were developed for observables to channels.
Political Science
- Vaccine Hesitancy, the COVID 19 Pandemic, and Christian Fundamentalism
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Over the past few decades, religion has continued to move to the forefront of American politics, with many viewing fundamental Christianity as synonymous with the Republican Party. Donald Trump's presidency has increased this tenfold, with significant figures within American Christianity voicing their support for him and tying him into Biblical prophecies. In the media, this appears to have affected how this demographic views the COVID 19 pandemic. The literature in this area focuses heavily on American Christians' response to mask mandates, stay at homestay-at-home other attempts to mitigate the spread of the CoronaVirus; however, research on how this same demographic views the COVID 19 vaccine is lacking. Using cross-tabulations of data from the Chapman Survey of American Fears, I attempted to determine whether or not people who fall into the category of Christian fundamentalist, which for the sake of this research will be those who take a literal interpretation of the Christian Bible, have a higher propensity to be against vaccinations, particularly the COVID 19 vaccine. My findings show that there is a disparity in how Christian fundamentalists and those who do not fall into that demographic view the pandemic and vaccines. When asked questions about being hesitant or fully against taking the COVID 19 vaccine, a higher percentage of people in this demographic responded that they were hesitant about or against a COVID vaccine. I also found that a lower number of the same demographic believe that vaccines' benefits outweigh their risks than in other groups. I believe this topic is highly pertinent in the moment we are in because, to reach herd immunity and bring about the end of the pandemic, we need a majority of the population to be vaccinated. By identifying the drivers of vaccine hesitancy, we can identify which populations may be swayed to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
- The Partisan Effects of COVID-19: Mask Wearing and News Sources
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Within only one year of the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, risk prevention, including the use of a mask to prevent spread of the disease, became incredibly politicized within the United States. By looking at mainstream media sources such as CNN, FOX, and MSNBC, in this article I will be examining how news media sources affect the viewer's perceptions of wearing a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic. Relying on the Chapman Survey of American Fear, a representative national sample of U.S. adults, I found that individuals who choose to watch FOX news every day were most likely to agree that wearing a mask was not more beneficial than not wearing one. In contrast, I found that individuals who watch CNN every day were most likely to agree that the benefits of wearing a mask outweigh the consequences of not wearing one. I also found that the majority of people who watch FOX news are republican and the majority of people who watch CNN are democrats. Lastly, I found that the more republican you identify, the less likely you are to agree that wearing a mask is beneficial. The correlation between partisan news sources and the effect it has on its viewers is incredibly important as the pandemic continues to have a heavy toll on the United States. The United States is also one of the only countries in which the use of masks became heavily politicized and the pandemic became a partisan divide. In a society where media continues to have a significant presence, it is important to understand and recognize the ways in which it influences, not only our everyday lives, but perceptions of risk prevention of a global pandemic in which we all play a role in ending.
- How Does Aging Influence The Fear of Gun Control in America?
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
Tensions regarding gun control have increased drastically in American society, particularly due to an increase in mass shootings and subsequent media coverage. Many of these mass shootings have directly influenced the youth of America because of the prevalence of school shootings in recent years. In this paper, I will examine the relationship between age and the fear of gun control, particularly in terms of the life cycle effects theory which explains that political beliefs fluctuate with age due to changing responsibilities. Using an original data set known as the Fear Survey, which gathers information on the various fears and demographics of individuals in American society I found a moderately high relationship between older Americans and fear of government restrictions on guns. Additionally, I find that a moderately high percentage of older Americans report not being fearful of being a victim of a mass shooting while younger Americans have the highest percentage. I also find that younger Americans favor liberal ideologies while older Americans favor conservative ideologies which symbolizes a shift in political ideologies as people age. This research will provide insight on American society in order to better understand when political stances are formed and how malleable they may be. Furthermore, it would explain that while a majority of Americans support stricter gun legislation, no regulations have been passed in recent years due to older Americans being the largest representative demographic in government and favoring conservative political ideologies.
- QAnon: The Effects of Radical Ideology on Belief in Conspiracy Theories
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The study of conspiracy theories has existed for many decades, however a new species of conspiracy, labeled QAnon, has surfaced in recent years - QAnon theories are directly tied to current radical politics and former President Donald Trump. My research will aim to explain how the outlandish and often racist beliefs of QAnon followers have come to be not only believed but have affected so many people that a terrorist attack on the United States Capitol occurred as a result. My research will include analysis of the Chapman Survey of American Fears which includes people on both sides of the political spectrum in order to correlate belief in QAnon’s allegations with a number of other different radical theories, as well as use existing research on the basis of political conspiracy belief, the factors that affect it, and the effect that belief of corruption in government can have on belief in radical deviant subjects. This will provide context for QAnon belief because QAnon is rooted in the belief that there is widespread government corruption. QAnon is a relatively new species of conspiracy and thus has very little research surrounding it and its causation. My project will serve to show that QAnon is related to a number of factors similar to the basis of belief in most conspiracy theories but the most principle will be strong belief in corruption in government and other theories where distrust in government or government officials is prevalent.
- United States Media and the Partisan Divide on Iran
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The United States and Iran have had many decades of tense relations, this tension has increased in recent years with the presidency of Donald Trump putting sanctions on Iran, leaving the Joint Comprehensive plan of Action of 2015 (Iran Nuclear Deal), and the assassination of the Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in an American drone strike (2020). These actions were a great change of policy and actions from the previous President Barrack Obama who made the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal. This research paper the main question that will be considered is how the mainstream American media outlets shape the partisan divide on the perception of Iran being a threat to the United States and the world. The results are that right wing media portrays Iran as a largely dangerous threat to the world, while left wing media take a more passive and optimistic view on Iran. This should be supported by the views of United States citizens by their political affiliations. The results should show a strong partisan divide for the Iranian Nuclear Deal and the varying viewpoint of Iran’s threat to the security United States of America and our allies.
- Partisanship as a Determinant of Policy Preference
Advisor(s): Dr. Ann Gordon
The idea that contemporary American politics have become extremely polarized is a commonly accepted notion. In this article, I examine partisanship’s role in determining individual policy preferences. There are competing theories as to what the primary determinant of an individual’s party preference is. Still, it is generally accepted that the individual’s policy positions likely have an influential role in determining party preference. Utilizing data from Chapman University’s American Fears survey, I find that an individual’s party preference is the most accurate and reliable predictor of an individual’s policy position. This strengthened correlation between party and policy has resulted in a lower level of ideological constraint than has been seen in the past, with individual policy preferences rarely differing from other party affiliates. I find that the universality of policy preferences amongst those who prefer the same party indicates a changing dynamic, with party preference now potentially determining some individual policy preferences. This would represent a significant shift in how party identity affects individual political positions, and vice versa. This changing relationship's implications could affect the analysis of policy preference polling results in the future, calling into question whether respondents’ preferred policy positions will indicate public sentiment or only their party’s policy platform.
Psychology
- Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Benefit of Social Contact on Anxiety Symptoms
Advisor(s): Dr. Jennifer Robinette
Anxiety is a pressing health concern, affecting 40 million adults in the United States every year. Interestingly, communities of color have lower rates of anxiety disorders relative to Non-Hispanic Whites, despite on average experiencing more lifetime adversity characteristic of members of marginalized groups, such as low socioeconomic status and discrimination. Research indicates that contact with one’s social network, particularly large, closely knit ones among Hispanics, are protective factors against anxiety. However, empirical investigations of racial/ethnic differences in the benefits of social networks on anxiety are lacking. Data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative sample of adults aged 51 and older in the United States, were used in this investigation. The 2010/2012 waves were used to include information pertaining to self-reported anxiety symptoms. Results from a weighted linear regression indicate that Non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics reported more anxiety symptoms relative to Non-Hispanic Whites after adjusting for age, sex, degree of education, and household wealth. Second, reporting more social contact with children and friends was related to less anxiety symptoms. Third, racial/ethnic differences in the effect of social networks on anxiety were found, in which time spent away from children was even more strongly related to anxiety among Hispanics relative to non-Hispanic Whites. Such results indicate that Hispanics may benefit more from increased social contact with their children relative to other racial/ethnic groups in protecting against anxiety, demonstrating the importance of nurturing social networks in order to reduce anxiety in this particularly vulnerable group.
- Personality Traits Influencing the Psychological Impact of Autoimmune Diseases in College Students
Advisor(s): Dr. Desiree Crevecoeur-Macphail
Chronic illnesses, which include autoimmune diseases, can have a major impact on an individual’s mental health. However, individuals vary considerably, and understanding how these differences impact an individual’s mental health outcome is crucial for developing best practices in psychology. The Health Belief Model (HBM) states that multiple components, including personality, influence peoples’ perception of their life and ultimately their behavior. The HBM can be applied to how individuals behave regarding their autoimmune diseases. Previous studies have found that personality impacts mental health as well as various characteristics and perceptions of autoimmune diseases, and that mental health and chronic helath conditions can impact one another. However, since these studies have looked at these components separately, there is a lack of research on how personality impacts the relationship between mental health and having an autoimmune disease. It was hypothesized that testing high on neuroticism will result in greater feelings of helplessness whereas extroversion will have the opposite effect. Also, it was predicted that being more conscientious and open to experiences will result in less stress when experiencing a flare of an autoimmune disease. Using the Big Five Personality Test, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Illness Cognition Questionnaire these relationships were observed in college-aged individuals. Participants were surveyed on the components of their personality (extroversion, neuroticism, openness to experience, conscientiousness, and agreeableness). In addition, participants were asked about how they felt towards their autoimmune disease. Overall, it is expected that individuals with autoimmune disease do experience both disease related helplessness and stress and that these factors are further amplified by being neurotic and introverted and diminished by being conscientious and open to new experiences.
- The Mediating Role of Child Self Efficacy in Socioeconomic Status and Marital Status affecting Pediatric Asthma Severity
Advisor(s): Dr. Brooke Jenkins
Asthma is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in children. Since 1980, asthma in children has increased by 160%, with the disease affecting close to 5 million children in the United States. Family structure and environment play a prominent role in children’s self asthma management and severity. Studies have found that children from families with lower parental socioeconomic status (SES) had poor control of their asthma, leading to greater severity. Children from single-parent households were also found to have greater asthma severity. These associations between family structure/environment and asthma severity may exist through the mediating mechanism of self-efficacy. Specifically, it has been shown that children from families of higher SES and married parents regard themselves as more lovable and having higher self-efficacy and self-esteem. In turn, higher self-efficacy in pediatric asthma patients is associated with greater self-management and lower severity. How family structure and socioeconomic status affect children’s asthma severity, and the mediating role of self-efficacy will be investigated in this study. Data will be obtained from the longitudinal study currently being conducted at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County Pulmonary Clinic with pediatric patients with asthma between the ages of 12-17. Parents’ self-reported marital status and SES. Children completed subjective measures of self-efficacy and asthma severity. These variables will be used to perform mediation analysis, using the PROCESS macro tool on SPSS. I hypothesize, given the literature, that child self-efficacy will serve as a mediator in the association between parental SES and child asthma severity and the association between parental marital status and child asthma severity. The long-term goal for this study is to create more awareness in the biopsychosocial aspects of pediatric medicine and how children’s home environments can play a role in their overall health and well-being.
- Impact of Appearance-Related Language on Dancers' Body Image
Advisor(s): Dr. Desiree Crevecoeur-Macphail
Dancers are at an increased risk for body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. The constant evaluation of one’s body, pressures to conform to the ideal dancer body type, and frequent appearance comparisons all contribute to dancers’ negative body image. Research has shown that body-related talk may also play a significant role, as indicated by the association between receiving appearance-related comments and negative body image. Conversely, other research suggests that focusing on body functionality, including the physical abilities of one’s body, is associated with greater body appreciation and body satisfaction and reduced body surveillance. The purpose of the present study is to investigate how different types of body-related language impacts dancers’ body image. Participants were undergraduate students of Chapman University’s Dance Department who completed an online survey in which they were randomly assigned to read instructions for a simple dance exercise that included either appearance-related, function-related, or neutral cues. After performing the dance exercise, participants completed measures of body image, using the Body Image States Scale (BISS), reported their perceived performance of the exercise, and indicated their dancer identity. Data collection is still in progress, but it is expected that those exposed to appearance-related language will report greater body image disturbance than those exposed to function-related language. In addition, because a preoccupation with body shape and weight impairs attention and motor performance, it is predicted that those in the appearance-related group will also report lower performance scores. Finally, body image scores may differ between the dance genres, such that participants who self-identify as ballet dancers may report worse body image compared to those who identify with another dance genre. This study may contribute to our understanding of the types of verbal cues that promote positive body image, which dance instructors can implement into their teaching.
- Body Image and Eating Behaviors
Advisor(s): Dr. Desiree Crevecoeur-Macphail
Previous research has found that women have higher levels of body dissatisfaction after viewing fashion magazine advertisements compared to participants’ levels of body dissatisfaction before viewing these magazines (Andrew, Tiggemann, & Clark, 2015). It has also been shown that it is a person’s perception of their weight rather than their actual BMI that increases their likelihood of attempting weight loss (Assaad, Anouti, Naja, Nasreddine, Hwalla & Sibai, 2018). One study found that individuals with a BMI out of the “normal” range were more likely to be dissatisfied with their body and more likely to engage in disordered eating (Figueiredo, R. A. O., Simola-Ström, S., Isomaa, R., & Weiderpass, E., 2019). Another study found individuals who used negative internal emotion regulation strategies were more likely to have bulimic symptoms if they also had poor body image (Hughes & Gullone, 2011). The present study seeks to find data to support the following hypotheses: (1) That there will be a positive correlation between social media use and body dissatisfaction; (2) Individuals who perceive themselves to be overweight will score higher on the eating disorder examination self-report questionnaire (EDE-Q) compared to individuals who do not perceive themselves to be overweight; (3) The relationship between body dissatisfaction and eating disorder symptoms is moderated by an individual’s body mass index; and (4) Individuals who do not practice emotion regulation strategies will have higher levels of body dissatisfaction than individuals who practice emotion regulation strategies. This study recruited Chapman University Undergraduate students as participants and incorporated the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Gross & John, 2013), the Eating Disorder Examination- Questionnaire (Fairburn & Beglin, 2008), the Adolescent Body Image Satisfaction Scale (Leone, Mullin, Maurer-Starks, & Rovito, 2014), in addition to questions regarding weight perception and social media use. It is expected that the results of this study will support the hypotheses mentioned above.
- Spatial Frequency Implications for Global and Local Processing in Autistic Children
Advisor(s): Dr. Vincent Berardi, Dr. LouAnne Boyd
Visual processing in humans is done by integrating and updating multiple streams of global and local sensory input. When this is not done smoothly, it becomes difficult to see the “big picture”, which has been found to have implications on emotion recognition, social skills, and conversation skills in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other learning disabilities. Previous research in this field has aimed to direct ASD patients toward normative processing of the global features by developing and evaluating a filter which is intended to decrease local interference, or the prioritization of local details. Within this process, this research focuses on whether an image’s spatial frequency was affected by the filter and how spatial frequency impacted the filter’s functionality. Spatial frequency can be defined as a measure of the periodic distribution of light versus dark in image. In this work, I isolated “hot spots”, which are areas in the image where the eye gaze of normative individuals fixated. Using the OpenCV package in Python, I implemented an algorithm to detect hotspots and drew a contour around each one. I then drew rectangles around the contours in each image and calculated the spatial frequency within each rectangle. Statistical analysis revealed that there was a significant difference between the spatial frequency of the entire image and the average spatial frequency of hotspots in both raw and filtered images. Building on this work, we plan to conduct research that will help to understand how the spatial frequency in raw and filtered images affects the ability of the filter to redirect global processing. Specifically, we will use previously collected to find how spatial frequency impacts eye gaze fixations in individuals with ASD. These findings will eventually be used to improve the image filter and conduct further research in this field.
World Languages and Cultures
- Translating Nonsense: An Analysis of the Poem "Jabberwocky" and Two French Translations
Advisor(s): Dr. Allan MacVicar
In translating any text, the end product will never be an exact copy of the original. From one language to another, the connotations of a word may change, there may be many words, or conversely no exact words, to express an idea, or it may be necessary to choose words that prioritize maintaining the structure (such as syllables or rhyme scheme) of the text. Is it, then, possible to translate words that don’t truly exist in any language? Lewis Carroll’s “Jabberwocky” is a nonsense poem in which many of the words are invented out of the author’s imagination. As a result, readers depend on Carroll to explain the meanings of such words. To determine if it is possible to translate nonsense in a way that maintains the message and poetic style, the first stanza of “Jabberwocky” was analyzed and compared to the first stanza of two French translations (“Le Jaseroque” by Frank L. Warrin and “Bredoulocheux” by Henri Parisot). The first stanza was chosen since it contains the largest number of nonsense words in the poem. A word-by-word, and to an extent, syllable-by-syllable close reading of the three texts was performed to determine the origins of the words used in “Jabberwocky” and how the translators interpreted them in order to create their French translations. It was concluded that it is possible to translate nonsense; however, a decision must be made between maintaining the poetic style or the meanings of the invented words. The two translations illustrate two distinct methods of translation. “Le Jaseroque” models translation by phonetics while “Bredoulocheux” models translation by definition.
