Undergraduate Research Posters

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  Le Corbusier’s Urban Planning and its Lasting Effects on City Design in Colonized Countries Abroad

  Davis Scherer

  In the both the periods between and after the World Wars, the French government expressed an increased interest in redeveloping Paris and the surrounding suburbs. It was during this push to renovate the wreckage and to improve the living situation of the impoverished that modernist sentiment first flourished in the country. This paper examines not only the effects of modernism’s rise in France, as well as Le Corbusier’s urban planning efforts therein, but also the diffusion of modernist principles into colonial holdings of major European powers touched by modernism. Using both analyses of Le Corbusier’s work and case studies of modernism in countries such as India, Brazil, Mexico, and China, and iterations both in and outside of France, I have come to the conclusion that as modernism was absorbed into the architectural vernacular of countries such as this, it took on new ideologies based on cultural values. This adaption, often necessary growths in order to promote the acceptance thereof in each country, created distinct forms of architecture and urban planning unique to the cultural context they promulgated in.

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  Biological Feasibility of Interstellar Travel

  Matthew B. Schneck

  Exposure to the space environment has resulted in numerous alterations to homeostatic mechanisms within the human body. Immune suppression, musculoskeletal degradation, decreased cardiac output and fluid redistribution have all been reported throughout short and long term space flight. The goal of this review is to discover if long term interstellar travel is biologically possible for humans. The relative influence of cosmic radiation, microgravity, and high velocity travel on homeostasis has not been previously established for interstellar space travel. Real-time space flight data and ground-based studies were compiled from other researchers. This data was analyzed with the goal of establishing the relationship between the aforementioned environmental pressures and the corresponding homeostatic consequences. Meta-analysis revealed that the predicted homeostatic consequences of interstellar space flight do not significantly inhibit the body’s ability to function in the space environment. Although interstellar travel is mechanically restricted, it is biologically plausible provided proper defense mechanisms are applied. Further research must be directed towards eliminating mechanical restrictions including but not limited to propulsion mechanisms, circular sustainment systems, environmental protection and interstellar communication.

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  Aftermath of the Hobby Lobby Decision: Implications for Women in the Workforce

  Hirsh Shah

  Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. is a landmark Supreme Court case in which it was ruled that the contraceptive mandate from the Affordable Care Act was an unnecessary and substantial burden on Hobby Lobby’s corporate exercise of religious freedom. This is the latest of many court cases that have expanded corporation’s rights to equal those of humans, giving them individual status without the responsibilities that come along with it. By citing religious liberty rights, closely held corporations such as Hobby Lobby can impose their religious viewpoints on their employees, specifically by not providing certain contraceptive care coverage. Other corporations are forcing women to choose between careers and families by imposing certain preventative care guidelines, such as egg-freezing methods among others. In order to determine the future implications of this case, I researched the history of corporate personhood, women and usage of contraceptive care, and gender-based workplace discrimination. My research shows that by not supporting female employees who have different health needs, Hobby Lobby sets up a model for corporations to be discriminatory towards women by portraying the idea of an anti-family and unsupportive workforce environment. In addition, the Hobby Lobby case has broader implications, with increasing corporate power causing economic and political ripples. Solutions can be found outside the US, by looking at European guidelines concerning women preventative services as a template. On the home front, the US Government should stand its on ground on the Affordable Care Act mandate concerning women care, by requiring all corporations to adhere to those rules through mandatory legislation, and the American Medical Community should properly inform physicians and patients of all contraceptive options, including Long-acting reversible contraception. This will allow women to be rightfully given access to the full range of preventative care services and a supportive and nurturing environment, and will also keep corporate power in check, preventing future possible cases of workplace discrimination.

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  Gene Therapy Evolution: How Gene Therapy has Evolved Preventive Medicine

  Kayuri Shah

  Gene therapy technologies offers a prospect for preventive medicine; before the trait can harm the recipient, genetically engineered transgenes will either alter the genetic disorder beforehand, or allow for regeneration of the tissue. The basic goal in bone formation and regeneration is to find a quick, easy, and cost-effective method to help bone growth, formation, and regeneration where surgery may be impossible or too risky. Gene therapy provides that, whether as a technology or product. Cells have the ability to be engineered, or manipulated, within the recipient’s body, or by removal and reimplantation. While treatments such as surgery are available, sometimes it is extremely difficult for those methods to reach certain areas of the body. Not only that, preventive medicine has advanced to the stage where genetic bone disorders can be eliminated before it is passed down to offspring. By comparing scholarly sources regarding the different in vivo and ex vivo methods, researchers have shown how bone formation and regeneration can be done easily through gene therapy. Between the two methods, both viral and non-viral methods have been tested. Results show that in vivo methods have many safety implications, however, it is the less expensive method. Regardless, ex vivo has been tested and could be taken to clinical trial level, unlike the others that have yet to be taken beyond pre-clinical trail and animal testing. Currently, legislation only supports the use of gene therapy on somatic cells, but in the long run, gene therapy could solve the problem of chronic hereditary genetic disorders if the alterations could be made in gamete cells. Not only that, but there has been no final definition of gene therapy, and therefore there is no stopping someone from altering an unlikeable physical trait in comparison to an actual physical challenge. The only thing stopping gene therapy and therapeutic products from hitting the market is the red light on clinical trials. Several methods have yet to pass the pre-clinical trial stage, and be tested on large animal models. Until then, there will not be an actual advancement to the human stages of clinical trials, helping no one, let alone the role in preventive medicine advancement.

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  The Correlation of the Order Effect and Anxiety in Relation to the Carbon Dioxide Challenge and Screaming Lady Task

  Tulsi Shah

  In the current study, juvenile twins aged 9-13 were asked to perform two psychophysiological tasks, referred to as the carbon dioxide (CO2) challenge and the Screaming Lady task. In the CO2 challenge, participants were asked to breathe enriched air for eight minutes that contained 7.5% CO2 for. Subjective anxiety was assessed every two minutes during a baseline, CO2 inhalation, and recovery period using the subjective units of distress scale (SUDS). The Screaming Lady task was designed to assess a fear-potentiated startle response. Participants were exposed to a classical conditioning paradigm in which loud screams were paired with images of a woman’s face. Air puffs delivered to the forehead were used to induce a startle response, and participants were unaware of when either stimulus (scream or air puff) would be administered. A SUDS rating was taking before the Screaming Lady task began, after the acquisition period, and after the extinction period. Based on previous research, it has been shown that sustained inhalation of CO2 can trigger physical symptoms similar to those experienced during a panic attack (Blue, 2014). In the current study, the CO2 and Screaming Lady tasks were also administered one after the other though the order of what came first was randomized. It is hypothesized that the anxiety generated by the CO2 task could lead to greater distress and anxiety during the Screaming Lady task. This would be demonstrated by higher SUDS ratings during the Screaming Lady task by those who did the CO2 task first. The data was divided in two parts: one in which the carbon dioxide task was performed before the screaming lady task and one in which the screaming lady task was performed first. The SUDS ratings will be used to examine if indeed such an order effect exists for these tasks, and these analyses will be used to inform study procedures in the future.

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  Do Coping Mechanisms Affect the Quality of Life in Adolescences Who Have Experienced Trauma?

  Anne Simmons, Brianna Epps, and Tess Davis

  The objective of this secondary analysis was to examine whether positive reframing moderates life satisfaction in children who have experienced victimization in the past year. Previous studies found that children who are frequent targets of peers’ bullying are at risk for a variety of adjustment problems including depression, loneliness, and anxiety (Boulton & Underwood, 1992; Graham & Juvonen, 1998; Hawker & Boulton, 2000). Moreover, coping plays a direct role on the adjustment of children and may be used as a moderator in the effect of a stressor on the life satisfaction of an individual (MacCann, Lipnevich, Burrus, & Roberts, 2012). Following this research, the experimenters conducted a secondary analysis on Dr. Wendy Kliewer’s Project CARE data. The results indicate that, although victimization is a significant predictor of life satisfaction, positive reframing does not effectively moderate the relationship between victimization and life satisfaction. The lack of self-report victimization and life satisfaction heavily contributes to the statistical insignificance of this test. However, with a more robust sample size, the data will aide in establishing effective coping mechanisms.

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  The Implications of Patrilineal Surnames

  Raymond Smalara

  Current Western tradition dictates that a woman is to take her husband’s surname upon marriage and pass it along to her children. In order to explore the reasons behind today’s relatively unchanging adherence to this trend of patrilineal surnames, surveys on marital name choices as well as publications on historical origins of the family and of family names were consulted. Some view this patrilineal trend as sexist, citing societal pressure and the patriarchy as forces compelling women to follow the tradition. While these factors do affect surname trends, the oppressive roots of the patrilineal surname run deeper than sexism. Further research revealed that sexism is not a main motivator or cause of patrilineal naming; the establishment of the permanent, patrilineal surname is linked to imperialist oppression, forced assimilation, and racism. In order to combat the oppressive structures working within surname tradition, it is suggested that people critically examine the naming practices they adhere to, and use that insightful analysis to break down said structures.

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  The Fluidity of Human Intimacy: A Look at Relationship Orientation and Identity with a Focus on Polyamory

  Briana Spangler

  Polyamory (or “Poly”) is an alternative way that people conduct their relationships. My research was aimed at discovering what role relationship structure has to an individual’s identity. In this presentation, identity is defined as characteristics, beliefs and behaviors that make up a person’s self-image. To answer this question, I conducted a small case study involving personal interviews to find out how personal relationship structure played a role to their individual identities, particularly in the case of Polyamorous relationships. According to my findings, it seems that relationship structure has its own orientation, separate from sexual or gender orientation. The importance of this orientation varies on personal opinion from individual to individual, but that does not make relationship orientation insignificant because it still exists as a characteristic of a person’s identity.

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  Diagnostics of Brain Rehabilitation

  Nathalie Spita

  Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of long-term morbidity among the young resulting in significant societal impacts. Yet advances in TBI therapeutic care have been largely limited by the complexity of the pathobiology, heterogeneity among patients, and imprecise endpoint assessments with which to evaluate efficacy. Thus, there remains a significant need for improved diagnostics, particularly for guiding novel therapeutic use and outcomes. So-called theragnostic assays are of particular interest in the new area of TBI rehabilitation, which ideally would target a window of heightened brain plasticity during which circuit remodeling would support recapitulation of lost function. The biochemical processes associated with brain plasticity following TBI produce metabolized components that are small enough in size to passively diffuse into peripheral fluid and by natural means are excreted into urine. We employ high performance mass spectrometry to quantify these byproducts, comprising a “TBI urinary signature” of some 2,500 TBI selective molecules. In this study we hypothesized that the urinary signature would evolve with the advent of a plasticity window during the course of inpatient rehabilitation. Urine samples from eight TBI patients were collected at admission and discharge from the VCU Health Science Center Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit. Application of non-supervised dimensional reduction analysis demonstrates that the TBI urinary signature is highly effective at classifying TBI patients from non-traumatized age / sex matched individuals. Further, our data demonstrate that the TBI urinary signature evolves distinctively between admission to rehabilitation (mean of 22 days post-TBI) and discharge from the unit (mean of 32 days post-TBI), clearly differentiating the point in recovery. Results further suggest individualized features grouping subjects into recovery classes that are being evaluated for functional correlates. Future research with these results will further evaluate the prognostic capacity of the TBI urinary signature as subjects are followed out one year from their injury.

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  Effects of dissolved and dietary Microcystin on clearance rates of Wedge Clams (Rangia cuneata) in the tidal fresh James River

  Spencer Tassone, Paul Bukaveckas, and Joe Wood

  Benthic filter feeders are important organisms in estuaries due to their ability to remove algal and non-algal particulate matter from the water column. Microcystin (MC) is a cyanotoxin that is known to have adverse effects on diverse consumers, though its effects on benthic filter-feeders are not well-studied. In this study, we examine the effects of microcystin on the filtering activities of Rangia cuneata, a common and often dominant filter-feeder in tidal freshwaters. Clams and seston obtained from the James River were used along with commercially-available microcystin to measure clearance rates of Rangia across a gradient of dissolved microcystin concentrations. We also compared clearance rates of James River clams to natural food sources in the presence and absence of microcystin. Our results show that dissolved microcystin inhibited Rangia clearance rates. Even at the lowest concentration tested (0.40 μg MC L-1) clearance rates were significantly lower than controls. Dietary experiments showed that when elevated microcystin was present in the James (September), clearance rates were lower for clams fed James River seston relative to clams fed seston from another source. Our results suggest that the presence of microcystin may diminish ecosystem service provided by benthic filter feeders.

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  Virtually Scanning Jamestown 1607-1610

  Lauren Volkers

  The Virtual Curation Laboratory, located at Virginia Commonwealth University, has been 3D scanning artifacts in collaboration with Jamestown Rediscovery from a very narrow period of time,1607 to 1610. This short time period includes the founding of the Jamestown colony and the Starving Time, where colonists consumed dogs, their seven horses, and at least one young woman. The intersection of Native Americans and Europeans can also be seen with native-made artifacts found in European contexts or altered by European contact. This poster will feature a butchered dog mandible and a butchered horse tibia from the Starving Time, native-made and European-made pipes and ceramics, a projectile point, and a jeweler’s mold.

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  The Undermining of Females in Video Games

  Samuel West

  Video games as a form of entertainment have been rapidly evolving over the past few decades. Female presence in video games has grown exponentially along side this evolution. This paper focuses on how women are presented in games, the roles that they play within the games and their physicality while performing leadership roles. Scholarly articles have been analyzed on topics including the design of cover art used to sell games, the part that women play in the storyline, the physical nature of women in video games, and the effects sexualized women can have on the gamers. Women have matured from the simple “damsel in distress” character into influential leaders in recent games, but at a cost. While they may be the leaders in a game, they are seen in exiguous outfits that emphasize their perfectly shaped bodies. They are hypersexualized and are often seen as objects and rewards, rather than leaders, because of their body. I argue that while women are starting to take on more leadership roles in video games; their physical portrayal completely undermines any leadership ability the character has. Many scholarly authors agree that these images of women have far more detrimental effects on players rather than promoting women as strong capable leaders.

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  Alternative Artificial Vein Graft Biomaterials

  Alexander Whitehead

  Current artificial vein grafts for long-term dialysis and bypass surgeries suffer from atherosclerosis and restenosis, and they tend to thrombose after initial patient recovery. The alternative materials, coatings, and polymer interfaces being explored in stents may be useful in graft applications, increasing both the quantity and quality of the patient’s life. To better comprehend the clinical standards and developing alternatives, I collected previously identified physical and chemical venous properties, as well as the corresponding synthetic materials that would support them. I compiled studies of primary and secondary endpoints (such as death, myocardial infarction, thrombosis, and target-lesion revascularization) in various graft materials, polymer coatings, and drugs to gauge efficacy. Based on my findings, I suggest that everolimus coatings linked to polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts by poly(n-butyl methcrylate) (PBM) should be subjected to further clinical research and in-vivo trials.

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  Building Student Leaders Through Peer Advising

  Holly Whitt

  As an undergraduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University I have seen both the positive and negative impacts peer advising can have on students. My research and experience will show the benefits of peer advising from a student perspective. Understanding the benefits of this method of advising to both the peer advisor and the student is critical in measuring its impact. Peer Advisors in the LIberal Studies for Early and Elementary Education (LSEE) program at VCU are students who have completed the majority of their program requirements and have met the required GPA and testing benchmarks. Furthermore, these students have also demonstrated a keen interest in mentoring their fellow students. Peer advisors gain invaluable leadership skills through their experience and are an invaluable asset to the LSEE program at Virginia Commonwealth University.

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  Relationships Between GABRA2, Alcohol, and Peer Deviance

  Kenyada Williams

  Kenyada Williams Spit for Science 24 March 2014 Mentor: Dr. Dick Title: My friends made me do it: peer deviance, alcohol, and GABRA 2 Abstract The Spit for Science research study aims to understand how genetic and environmental factors unite to influence substance use and environmental health. This research was done in order to determine the relationship between the GABRA2 gene and alcohol use along with the effects of peer deviance and amount of consumption. To determine these results, the Spit for Science research team has collected survey questions and DNA samples from voluntary first year participants at Virginia Commonwealth University in spring 2011. We are examining the amount and frequency of average alcohol consumption in conjunction with the amount of deviancy shown in the majority of ones peers. We also examined 8 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPS) in the GABRA2 gene for significance in increased alcohol consumption among students who drink. The regression results showed zero correlation between peer deviance and the frequency of alcohol consumption. In addition, we were also unable to identify a moderating effect of peer deviance on the relationship between alcohol use and GABRA2 variation. Since GABRA2 is most commonly associated with more severe alcohol-related outcomes, such as Alcohol Dependence, further analyses must be done in order to determine the genes relationship with simple or limited alcohol use.

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  New Media: Web Series, Creating and Sharing

  Paislee Winkler and Jerid Prater

  VCUarts New Media Project as a class that connects students in a variety of school departments together to make a web series. This web series is similar to a television show as we create five short episodes , that add up to a thirty minute pilot show . This class is the only one at VCU and addresses television and web show creation. This class builds future television content creators. Students in the class currently come from the Theater Department, Kinetic Imaging, Film and Photography, and Richard T. Robertson school of Media and Culture. We are making content that is original work, we are writers, editors, film crew and actors. We come in early before class and stay late to create original work that has gone through the process of copyrighting and in the Writers Guild of America. This cross culture class is researching the process of a viral video. Watching and doing work similar to a web series on the Internet today. We encompass social media, engaging in local businesses, as we partner up for locations and promotions. Currently we have worked with the Lair and Sugar Shack Donuts. We read works of successful television writers and creators we hope to build work the reflects and challenges the way people watch video content. In our current work, the series we are creating is “Imaginerapy,” a group of people “breathers” meet in a therapy group to discuss having a life with a imagery friend “figment”. The imagery befriended fall in love and realize who they truly are. As a producer and script supervisor in the class, I see and learn every aspect of the program. Leading in planning a shooting schedule, connecting with businesses, and playing the extra. The professors of the program work as the network do review the finish product before it airs. The web series will be online by April this year, and from this present we will be able to find out how a web series gets a buzz, how to we engage with viewers and what people like to see when watching online content. The product we are making in this class provides research in the future of visual content.

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  VIGS (Virus Induced Gene Silencing)

  Cameron Winn

  ABSTRACT Virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) is an efficient technique to quickly evaluate gene functions. VIGS utilizes the mechanism(s) of RNA interference (RNAi), which the virus vector carrying the gene of interest will be silenced through posttranscriptional gene silencing. Agrobacterium is used to carry the constructed vectors to infect the plants . Here, I summarized several inoculation methods have been reported recently to infect the plants. We are working on evaluating the efficiency with these different methods in our study system. Our lab uses Nicotiana obtusifolia (desert tobacco) as a model to studygene regulating plant development. I report the result of leaf inoculation by using syringe. PDS gene was silenced show a phenotype with bleached leaves . We are working on evaluating the most effective inoculation methods for our system. VIGS, PDS, plasmid, agrobacterium, inoculation, vector, transmission

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  Cultural Appropriation of the Plains Native American Headdress in the 21st Century by Middle-to-Upper Class American Non-Indians

  Marisa Wood

  My research addresses the cultural appropriation of the Plains’ Native American headdress by middle to upper class American non-Indians belonging to the hipster subculture. The hipster subculture appropriates minority cultures while also receiving the benefits of the majority culture to which they belong. The hipster subculture is influenced by a generally limited knowledge of Native American culture and the trends pressed by corporations. Native Americans also contribute to stereotype continuation in order to make money.

  I reviewed six journal articles addressing culture appropriation in fashion, spirituality and stereotypes as well as six journal articles addressing the relationship between identity and appropriation; three journal articles addressing the hipster subculture and their reputation for appropriation and three addressing Native American’s place in the market. Because, notably, hipsters do not take pride in their own White culture, the subculture selectively appropriate pieces of Native American culture. With these conclusions, the hipster subculture will gain consciousness of their actions and take more caution in their appropriation habits.

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  Comparisons and Contrasts Between Marketing Techniques Used by the Tobacco Industry and Public Health Figures

  Dorothy Yen

  The tobacco industry has long been known for its aggressive advertising techniques to promote its product to the general public; conversely the public health field has long been regarded as the main opposing force to the tobacco industry's efforts. The public health field's techniques of manipulating and presenting information has not been examined to the degree that the tobacco industry's techniques have been due to public health's mostly-accurate message regarding tobacco smoke. This review was performed by analyzing a variety of articles and academic sources focused on this subject. This review was conducted to examine as well as compare and contrast the methods used by both the industry and accredited public health officials and institutions. Neither the tobacco industry nor public health professionals can deny scientific findings or empirical evidence regarding tobacco smoke and its harmful qualities but that does not deter them from manipulating evidence or even producing their own contradictory studies. The tobacco industry's public relation efforts to promote its product have long been a part of the industry's history. It has also been shown that accredited health professionals (such as the Surgeon General) use manipulative methods to promote their bias on the issue of tobacco and smoking. Accredited health professionals display conflicts of interest when definitively shutting down any opposing opinions regarding the health risks involved with tobacco smoke. Because of the utmost importance of maintaining credibility in the public eye, both institutions must remain careful and tactful in their marketing techniques. The public, however, does not internalize the PR from the tobacco industry in the same way that it does the governmental institutions. While the government is rightfully protecting the public against the damages and harms of tobacco smoke, it is suppressing some of the potential research that can and should be conducted in order to further the public's knowledge on the issue of tobacco smoke and its byproducts.

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  Polypharmacy and Symptoms of Pain in Women with Fibromyalgia

  Anna Young and Victoria S. Menzies

  Fibromyalgia (FMS), a syndrome characterized by chronic widespread pain (CWP), has no known etiology, and coincides with other life-altering symptoms including fatigue, mood disturbances and non-restorative sleep. Despite the multiple medication classes that are typically used for the treatment of FMS, there are no known studies assessing the efficacy of polypharmacy on symptoms of pain in this patient population. While analgesic medications, including opioid or opioid-like medications, are commonly prescribed, the use of these medications for FMS has not been fully described, including potential incidence of analgesic overuse. The primary purpose of this secondary analysis was to examine how many classes of pharmacologic agents were used in a sample of N=122 women diagnosed with FMS, the relationships among baseline pain levels and medication use, controlling for self-reported levels of fatigue and depression. Data was collected from two separate studies: (a) a cross-sectional study to examine the relationship among stress, symptoms and immune markers in women (N=50) with FM^, and (b) an RCT to examine the effect of a 10-week guided imagery intervention on stress, self-efficacy, symptoms and immunity in women (N=72) with FM. In both studies participants were asked to provide lists of currently prescribed medications for treatment of their FMS-related symptoms. Examination of the data revealed that participants were prescribed 6 different classes of medications. These included opioids analgesics, non-opioid analgesics, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, muscle relaxants, and benzodiazepines. Baseline pain severity scores (p=0.0106) and pain interference scores (p=0.0002) were significantly associated with opioid use as compared to those individuals who did not report opioid use. Study findings are considered preliminary data for development of a larger study to examine efficacy of polypharmacy and related potential risks of adverse effects or substance abuse in those with FMS. Supported by grants from NINR #P20 NR008988 (N. McCain, PI); #P30 NR011403 M. J. Grap (PI).

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  Inkjet Printing Retinal cells vs. Gene Therapy in the treatment of Glaucoma

  Shirley Yu

  The neurodegenerative disease glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness and accounts for over ten million visits to physicians for treatment. Unfortunately, there is yet to be a concrete accepted approach to alleviating the effects of glaucoma. This dissertation examines recent studies and reports on the specifics of viral vectors, non-viral vectors, piezoelectric inkjet printing, heat inkjet printing, and glaucoma. A few of the studies involve the progression of an experiment while others combine and discuss the results of multiple experiments. Using these articles I compared the effectiveness of gene therapy to the use of inkjet printing to create retinal cells. By replacing, adding, or deleting a specific sequence in the human body, the gene expression of the eye can be altered. There are two different types of injections for gene therapy, viral vectors and non-viral vectors. Both methods typically target the trabecular meshwork and neuroretina to regulate the aqueous humor outflow and lower the intraocular pressure. In the case of glaucoma, the treatment solely provides neuroprotection instead of curing the disease, thus patients must undergo repeated injections in order to keep the disease from deteriorating. Inkjet printing of retinal cells have shown to produce three dimensional tissue grafts that may replace defective tissues. The printed cells have been tested for survivability and regeneration properties, since it has been suggested that the printing process can cause defects. Both heat inkjet printing and piezoelectric printing have been used to create neural cells. By evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of gene therapy as well as printing, I can evaluate whether or not inkjet printing can overtake gene therapy to become a conventional treatment for glaucoma in the near future. There have not been many clinical trials done on either of these methods for glaucoma, thus it is difficult to obtain a certain answer to the question at hand. At this point advancements in the area of three-dimensional printing neural sheets may provide a more promising cure. However, more research must be done on how each of these treatments affect glaucoma in humans.

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  The Relationship between Deviant High School Behavior and the frequencies of Alcohol and Nicotine Use

  Flora Achiko

  The study examined the relationship between deviant high school behavior as defined by symptoms of conduct disorder and the frequencies of alcohol and nicotine use among freshmen at VCU. The sample sizes for items corresponding to alcohol and nicotine use were n=1184 and n=689 freshmen, respectively. Correlation analyses revealed significant statistical evidence for a positive relationship between deviant high school behavior and frequency of alcohol use (r= .231, significant at p=0.01 level) and deviant high school behavior and the frequency of nicotine use (r=.219, significant at p=0.01 level). There was also a significant correlation between the frequencies of alcohol and nicotine use (r=.197, significant at p=0.01 level). These findings suggest there is a relationship between deviant behavior in high school and increased alcohol and nicotine use in college. Establishment of a positive correlation allows for further testing on risk factors for substance use and could lead to preventive strategies.

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  Factor H Cleavage by the Treponema denticola Protease Dentilisin: Understanding the Pathogenesis of Periodontal Disease

  Sahil Aggarwal

  Periodontal disease is an infectious condition that results in the inflammation and gradual degradation of gum tissue and alveolar bone. Caused by plaque deposits on teeth that harden into tartar to inflame gum tissue, the condition is highly pervasive, with 15 percent of US adults over 30 years of age exhibiting destructive periodontal disease. The abundance of Treponema denticola, a spirochete, in the oral flora is strongly correlated with disease severity. T. denticola binds to Factor H (FH), a negative regulator of the complement system, through its Factor H binding protein (FhbB) to evade complement-mediated killing. The protease dentilisin, produced by T. denticola, cleaves FH for reasons that are still being studied. We hypothesize that dentilisin-dependent cleavage of FH may result in the local dysregulation of the complement immune system, leading to gum destruction. The primary goal of this research project was to identify the specific location of FH cleavage by dentilisin. Characterization of the complex interaction between T. denticola and FH may explain the molecular pathogenesis of periodontal disease.

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  Relationship of Caffeine Content in Energy Drinks to Health in High School and College-Aged Adolescents

  Arti Alagappan

  Although energy drink consumption is not currently regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the high concentrations of caffeine in energy drinks—especially in comparison to drinks such as sodas and coffee—pose a potential threat to cardiovascular, muscular and immune system health. Caffeine in these energy drinks, especially when consumed in quantities over 70 mg, can lead to problems such as atrial fibrillation, muscle contractions and tension, and myocardial infarction. The objective of this research is to examine caffeine and its amplified role due to the different synergistic ingredients contained in energy drinks (including taurine, vitamin B6, carbohydrates, amino acids, and herbal supplements) to determine if there is a significant relationship between consumption and degradation of cardiovascular, muscular, or immune system health in high school and college-aged adolescents. Though additives found in energy drinks may not be as harmful alone, they serve to enhance caffeine and increase health risks. This study suggests that physical health risks can be attributed to specific ingredients found in these energy drinks, namely caffeine. This research further suggests that the FDA should enact regulations that prohibit the sale of highly caffeinated energy drinks to individuals under the age of 18 and that the FDA should require explicit labeling of these products as is currently mandated for alcoholic beverages.

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  Female leadership in Powhatan Indian tribes: Changes from first contact with the Europeans to the present day

  Brittany Allen

  The negative effects of European colonization on Native American groups have long been observed and studied, but little attention has been given to the impact those negative effects had on the roles of women in the leadership of tribes. All Native American groups faced disease, warfare, and limitations of their rights after the arrival of European settlers in their land, but women in particular were affected by hardships that resulted from colonization. By analyzing records of women acting as chiefs in the century immediately following the Powhatan tribes’ first contact with the Europeans and comparing the high number of women chiefs in the early years with the complete lack of women chiefs in Powhatan tribes from the eighteenth century until 1998, I found that the number of women in east coast Algonquian tribes wielding political power initially increased for several decades, but then decreased dramatically after the tribes were forced to enter treaties with the government of Virginia which limited the rights they had previously experienced. The number of women serving as chiefs, on tribal councils, and in intertribal groups increased as the Powhatan tribes began to strive to be more politically active in response to even further limitations to their rights in the form of segregation and race restrictions throughout the twentieth century. The increase in the number of Powhatan women involved with tribal and extra-tribal politics in recent decades indicates that Powhatan tribes are steadily overcoming the race-related obstacles before them and finally obtaining the legal and social equality that has eluded them since Europeans first began settling in the Powhatans’ native land in the seventeenth century. The correlation of the increase in the number of Powhatan women in leadership positions with the removal of race-related obstacles suggests that similar trends may be present in other cultures that have experienced significant race-related struggles.