Photodegradation of Naproxen in Simulated Natural Water Systems

s by Number Thursday, April 19th 2012 1. Determining the Source of Pollution at Filbin Creek, South Carolina Lydia Beck Nickolas and Vijay Vulava, Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences Development in metropolitan areas has a strong potential to alter chemical compositions of urban catchments. The aim of this study is to extrapolate on the potential for runoff-transferred pollutants to impact Filbin Creek (an urban freshwater stream which discharges into an estuary) by measuring ions and trace elements and delineating the sources of water through the use of stable water isotopes. I hypothesize that runoff from surrounding highways and developments is capable of introducing pollutants into Filbin Creek. In this study, water from area was collected and analyzed for ions, heavy metals, and stable isotopes. Results indicated an elevated level of various pollutants, particularly following rain events. Isotopic signatures suggested a high volume of input from isotopically depleted runoff and precipitation in comparison to the more isotopically enriched baseline. The findings signify a need for a more comprehensive assessment of the health of urban waterways like Filbin Creek. 2. Spectral Analysis of Conductive Polymer Nanocomposite Materials Kyle Clayton and W. Joshua Kennedy, Department of Physics and Astronomy We analyzed the absorption properties of the conductive polymer Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), mixed in solution with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT), as well as with graphene nanoplatelets in various concentrations. We used Raman spectroscopy to characterize the blends. Our results demonstrate that the P3HT / SWNT increases the ordered phase of the polymer as the SWNT concentration is increased. The P3HT / graphene solution did not show an ordered phase shift, but rather a shift in the primary absorption peak in the polymer, indicating a shortening of the polymer chain length with increasing graphene concentration. 3. Degradation Analysis of Sildenafil by ESI-LC-MS Chase Mabe and Wendy Cory, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Tablets seized as evidence by law enforcement agents in the field have often been exposed to extreme storage conditions. Storage of pharmaceuticals at high temperatures, humidity, and/or light can lead to degradation of the active ingredient. Samples may also be contaminated and degraded by exposure to human saliva. The formation of degradation products, while structurally similar to the analyte, leads to potential complications in the data used to identify the illicit substance. The purpose of this research project was to develop a method for detecting sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra®) and its degradation products using liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Forced degradation studies were conducted by exposing sildenafil citrate to extreme conditions including high temperature and humidity, light exposure, and saliva. The resulting sample was analyzed and the degradation products were identified. 4. Indirect Photodegradation of Naproxen in Simulated Natural Water Systems Candice Ulmer and Wendy Cory, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Naproxen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical compound that has been detected in natural water systems at the ppb (nM) concentration range. The presence of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in the aquatic environment poses a risk to humans and aquatic animals. Once introduced these compounds can undergo environmental processes of transformation and degradation. One important pathway is solar photodegradation. Naproxen absorbs UV radiation up to 360+ nm and directly photodegrades within hours, resulting in smaller, more hydrophobic molecules with a higher ecotoxicity than the parent pharmaceutical. Humic acid, a form of dissolved organic matter, has been observed to act as a photosensitizer and lead to indirect photodegradation of other dissolved substances. In this research, both direct and indirect (photosensitized) photodegradation of naproxen were investigated. The role of humic acid as a potential photosensitizers was investigated. 5. Award of Merit: Photochemical Degradation of Cetirizine in Simulated Natural Waters Danielle White and Wendy Cory, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry The presence of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in natural water systems has garnered a great deal of media attention in recent years. Assessment of the environmental fate of these compounds is critical to an understanding of the risk of these contaminants to humans and aquatic organisms. An important factor in this assessment is photodegradation or the potential that a PhAC may degrade as a result of reactions that occur during exposure to sunlight. In this research, the photodegradation of the antihistamine cetirizine (Zyrtec) was investigated in water samples to determine its rate of photodegradation. Cetirizine is a zwitterion at pH levels between 3 and 8, which causes intramolecular hydrogen bonding and conformational changes as a function of pH. The effect of these changes on both the UV absorbance of the molecule and its photodegradation at different pH levels was investigated. 6. Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) for Environmental Analyses in CHEM 522 Ben Brook, Kate Hooi, Tanya Hunt, Chase Mabe, Justin Zimmerman and Wendy Cory, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry In spring 2012, the Environmental Chemistry (CHEM 522) class conducted a number of analyses on samples of environmental concern using GC-MS. Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes were detected in stormwater collected near gas stations from different locations in downtown Charleston. Strawberries purchased from local grocery stores (organic and non-organic) and a local farm were tested for the presence of pesticides. An investigation on the degradation of glyphosate (RoundUp) in soil and water was conducted. A description of these investigations and our results will be presented. 7. Exploring the Radiochemistry of Th-232 Noah Bullock and Narayanan Kuthirummal, Department of Physics and Astronomy Frank Kinard, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Thorium chemistry has become more important recently due to industrial nations interest in developing a thorium based nuclear fuel cycle. Our research focused on developing laboratory experiments using small volumes of natural thorium that generate minimum laboratory waste, but still have the advantage of revealing the complexity of the thorium natural decay cycle chemistry. Our experiments were designed to update older methods and collect new data on the gammaand alpha-spectra of Th-232 and its daughters. Utilizing a 10% tri-n-butyl-phosphate (TBP) as an extractant, we were able to make a counting sample for alpha-spectroscopy that clearly separated Th-232 and Th-228 nuclei from its radioactive daughters. Our alpha-spectra showed us the ingrowth of daughter nuclei from the Th-232 decay chain. Using electrodeposition, we were able to make counting samples that produced well resolved alpha-spectra for Th-232 and its daughter products. 8. Shallow Marine Lionfish Habitat Characterization of Onslow Bay, NC Jennifer K. Kist, Emily B. Osborne, and Leslie Sautter, Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences Several studies have been conducted to determine the northern most extent of the genus Pterois, collectively known as Lionfish. Onslow Bay is a broad crescent-shaped embayment located along the central North Carolina coast and is bordered by two cape promontories. Seven hydrographic surveys were conducted between water depths of 20-40 meters between the years of 2007-2009 using a Kongsberg EM1002 multibeam system aboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster. These surveys were conducted in order to characterize rocky outcrops and ledges where Lionfish have been sighted. Hydrographic data was collected by the Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research (CCFHR) Beaufort Lab in North Carolina lead by Dr. Paula Whitfield. CARIS HIPS & SIPS 7.1 was used to process the multibeam data by producing base surfaces. These base surfaces will be used to geologically characterize substrates and to determine the suitability of Onslow Bay for Lionfish. 9. Use of an EM3002 Multibeam Sonar in Underwater Archaeological Research Jennifer K. Kist, Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences Jeff Royal, RPM Nautical Foundation Multibeam sonar has recently been applied to underwater archaeological research, with surveys in 2011 in Italy, Albania and Montenegro. RPM Nautical Solutions utilizes an EM3002 multibeam sonar on board the R/V Hercules to scan large areas of mostly unexplored nearshore coastal regions within the Adriatic Sea. Raw data are actively fed through a suite of post-processing software, including CARIS HIPS & SIPS and Fledermaus. Once data are cleaned, the company’s archaeological team examines 3-d images of the data and, based on object height and shape, determines possible ancient ship wreck sites. An ROV is deployed to examine these sites. Ancient treasures such as amphora, battle rams and roman helmets have been retrieved by using either the manipulator hands of the ROV or by divers. These treasures belong to the countries in whose coastal waters they are found, and will be displayed in museums. 10. Germination in Spanish Arabidopsis thaliana Tanya Hunt and Courtney Murren, Department of Biology Germination is highly affected by the environment and the genetics of an organism and can influence the entire life history of the plant. Seeds from native Arabidopsis thaliana in Extremadura, Spain were collected and grown in different conditions to determine the best conditions for germinating Spanish accessions. Length of cold treatment, amount of sterilization, type of media, and temperature during growth were all varied and germination results were observed. Overall, two weeks of cold treatment, a Murishage and Skoog salt and agarose media, and 15°C growth conditions were found to produce the highest germination rate for all plants. In addition, for all Spanish accessions tested, the median germination time was determined to be 5 days. Knowledge of this information could lead to genetic and maternal effects studies to determine their effect on germination timing and conditions. 11. Overexpression, Purification and Spectroscopy of a Manganese Ribonucleotide Reductase Corey Seacrist, Joey Cotruvo, JoAnne Stubbe, and Pamela Riggs-Gelasco, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Ribonucleotide reductases (RNR) catalze the conversion of ribonucleotides to deoxyribonucleotides, using two subunits, R1 and R2. Class I RNRs utilize a diferric cluster/tyrosyl radical cofactor in the R2 subunit to initiate radical chemistry on the substrate bound in the R1 subunit. Recently, the Stubbe lab established that the cofactor of B. subtilis and E. coli Class Ib enzyme required an additional protein, nrdI, to activate a manganese cofactor in this class of enzyme. The flavodoxin nrdI utilizes FMN to facilitate assembly of a Mn(III)2-tyrosyl radical cofactor. We report here our efforts to express a functional R2-nrdI complex from C. ammoniagenes, overexpressed in E. coli. In addition, we report initial X-ray absorption spectra of the oxidized and reduced R2 subunit of the B. subtilis Class Ib enzyme. 12. The Relationships between Orientation to Life, Perceived Benefits and Quality of Life: A Correlational Analysis Georgia Mappin, Amanda Nelson, Ellie Lee, Nick Zumpano, and Sarah Robertson, Department of Psychology One’s experience of stress is dependent upon the way in which stressors are perceived. However, little research examines the variables that influence the way in which one perceives a potentially stressful event. Sense of coherence is an individual’s perception of their ability to effectively cope with stress, and is measured by the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OTLQ). The Quality of Life Inventory (QOLI) measures one’s quality of life across several domains, while the Perceived Benefits Scale (PBS) measures potential benefits that people experience after stressful events. It is predicted that higher OTLQ scores will be associated with higher PBS and QOLI scores. Participants were 80 young adults (ages 18-25) who were students at the College of Charleston. A correlational analysis was conducted to assess the degree of relationship between OTLQ, QOLI, and PBS scores. Results indicated significant positive correlations between OTLQ, QOLI, and PBS. Clinical implications are discussed. 13. Implementing Update in GNU Image Manipulation Program Richard Bowers, Nick Guzzardo, Gini Harrison, Benjamin Johnson, and Marianne Rogers, Department of Computer Science As a contribution to the Free and Open Source Project, GNU Image Manipulation Program (also known as GIMP), our team implemented a plug-in which will communicate with the program to determine the latest version and update the program if necessary. In our original plan, the plugin calls GIMP's Procedural Database (PDB) and compare the program's current version number to the latest stable release of the program using a URI listed on the GIMP.org site. If it is determined that an update is applicable, with the user's consent the program will update the user's GIMP program or direct them to the site holding the appropriate version download link. From this point, our strategy changes, and we discover different methods of reaching our requirements—each with varying degrees of success. 14. Award of Merit: Investigation of Threshold Energy Absorption for HPPHmediated PDT in Pancreatic Cancer Cells Pooja Patel and Linda Jones, Department of Physics and Astronomy Our research group has been working in collaboration with physicians at Mayo Clinic to develop a method of drug and light dosimetry for photodynamic therapy (PDT). We are studying Panc-1 pancreatic cancer cells with the photosensitizer 2-[1-Hexyloxyethyl]-2-devinyl Pyrophenophorbide-a (HPPH) and 670-nm light. The goal of my project is to determine whether there is a threshold of absorbed light for irreversible destruction of photosensitized Panc-1 pancreatic cancer cells. The cells are loaded with 2 mg/kg of HPPH and 670-nm light is applied at 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 J/cm2. Clonal assays are used to determine cell viability, accounting for cell death by both necrosis and apoptosis. After plotting the light absorption against cell viability, a threshold may be determined. This project will introduce a new set of data, which will be beneficial for the field of pancreatic cancer and Photodynamic Therapy. 15. Genome Sequencing and Annotation of Mycobacteriophage Astro in Charleston, South Carolina Christopher Asuzu, Thomas Burnette, Nicholas Calcagno, Emily Carrig, Amanda Collins, Rachel Ekdahl, Alana Guziewicz, Stephanie Haney, Tanya Hunt, Charlotte Kelsey, Laura Jackson, Charlotte Kelsey, Brad Long, Ben McWhite, Wesley Murphy, Marshall Oelsen, Pooja Patel, Ariane Pereira, Ben Perrin, Thomas Pittman, Eric Robertson, Allysan Scatterday, Corey Seacrist, Gabe Segarra, Elliott Smith, Kareen Taha, Christopher Korey, Erin Morris, and Ana Zimmerman, Department of Biology Mycobacteriophages, a type of virus that infects mycobacteria, are one of the most common organisms in the world and have many biomedical and genomic applications. In an effort to discover a phage that will infect M. tuberculosis, a member of the SEA Program at the College of Charleston isolated the phage Astro. Astro belongs in Cluster A, Subcluster A8 and is classified morphotypically as Siphoviridae. The genome was sequenced using next generation high throughput sequencing and a large effort has been made to complete the annotation using software such as DNA Master and Phamerator. The genome is over 52 Kb and contains 93 genes which as a class effort were annotated and compiled. The completed annotated genome will be added to the public Mycobacteriophage DataBase. 16. Effects of Ethanol Dependence on BDNF Expression in Specific Brain Regions Guilherme Porto1,2; Melissa Overstreet2, Marcelo F. Lopez2, and Howard C. Becker2 1Department of Biology, College of Charleston 2Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina BDNF is thought to be involved in the neurobiological mechanisms underlying alcohol and drug dependence, including neuroadaptations resulting from chronic alcohol exposure in animals and humans. The main goal of the present study was to determine whether ethanol dependence produces brain-regional as well as timedependent changes in BDNF expression. To accomplish this, a mouse model of ethanol dependence that involves repeated cycles of chronic intermittent ethanol exposure was used. BDNF peptide levels were measured by using an ELISA assay procedure. Preliminary data indicate that repeated cycles of chronic intermittent ethanol exposure produce significant reductions in BDNF peptide levels in prefrontal cortex, and this effect extends to later time points after withdrawal. Analysis is currently underway for the additional brain regions. It is anticipated that this study will provide new and valuable information regarding the role of BDNF in neuroadaptations that result from ethanol dependence. 17. Mitochondrial-Mediated Sources of Reduced Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate (NADPH) in Mouse Rod Photoreceptors Leopold Adler IV1, Yiannis Koutalos2, and Chunhe Chen2 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Charleston 2Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of South Carolina Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) is the primary reducing equivalent for reactions in the cytosol. NADPH is generated via two metabolic pathways: the pentose phosphate pathway, a branch of glycolysis, and mitochondrial-mediated pathways. NADPH generation can be examined in single living photoreceptor cells from the reduction of all-trans retinal to retinol. Retinal is released following light detection and its reduction utilizes NADPH. The kinetics of retinal release have previously been determined, while those of retinol formation can be measured from retinol fluorescence with microfluorometry. NADPH production can be estimated from the time delay between retinal release and retinol formation. Incorporating NADPH production, a model describing retinol formation was developed and fit to experimental data to estimate NADPH production parameters. Under normal physiological conditions, NADPH concentration and production rate were 0.19 mM and 0.07 mM/min, respectively. With glycolysis inhibited and 0.5 mM pyruvate added, NADPH production was restored by mitochondrial pathways to 0.06 mM/min. 18. Fluorescence Quantification of a Photosensitizer in Pancreatic Carcinoma Cells Alexandra Gotshall and Linda R. Jones, Department of Physics and Astronomy The project involves the study of a fiber optic method to detect the fluorescence emission of HPPH (2-[1hexyloxyethyl]-2 Devinyl Pyropheophorbide-a), a photosensitizing drug used in photodynamic therapy (PDT). The main goal was to develop a calibration curve that would allow us to determine the amount of photosensitizer present in cultures of PANC-1 cells, a line of human pancreatic carcinoma cells. By adding known concentrations of the drug, measuring the total emissions using the Ocean Optics Jaz system with an excitation of 405 nanometers, extracting the dye and measuring the fluorescence using a UV spectrophotometer, we were able to calculate a ratio of drug emission and autofluorescence. The data will be used to quantify the photosensitizer in vivo. 19. Preparation of Isoquinolinones from Trilithiated 2-Methylbenzoic Acid Hydrazides and Select Esters Philip J. Mabe, William G. Shuler, Sarah S. Carlisle, Clyde R. Metz, and Charles F. Beam, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry The entry compounds, 2-methylbenzoic acid hydrazides, prepared by the straightforward condensation of 2methylbenzoic acid chloride with either benzoylhydrazine, benzenesulfonylhydrazine or phenylhydrazine have received limited study, and they have been used in limited investigations, with none of these involving strong base metalation followed by condensation with electrophilic reagents. During our series of recent studies, the three substituted carboxylic acid hydrazides were trilithiated with lithium diisopropylamide(LDA) to form trilithiated intermediates that were successfully condensed with a variety of substituted aromatic esters ranging from methyl 4-dimethylaminobenzoate to methyl 4methoxybenzoate to afford C-acylated intermediates that were not isolated but immediately acid cyclized to the targeted isoquinolinone. In one confirmed instance, an N-acylated hydrazide was isolated, whose structure was confirmed by X-ray crystal analysis. The structures of several other substituted isoquinolinones were also confirmed with X-ray single crystal analysis. 20. Strong-Base Preparation of Unsymmetrical Triketones and Select Heterocyclic Compounds from 1-Benzoylacetone William G. Shuler, Philip J. Mabe, Sarah S. Carlisle, Clyde R. Metz, and Charles F. Beam, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Lithium hexamethyldisilazide (LHMDS) and lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) were used in a comparative study for the metalation of 1-benzoylacetone by the formation of a dilithiated dianion type intermediate, followed by the condensation with a variety of electrophilic reagents such as methyl 2-phenylquinoline-4carboxylate and 5-chloro-isatoic anhydride. The condensation of the 1-benzoylacetone dianion type complex activated by LHMDS proceeded to the unsymmetrical trione in high yield, ~95%, and the structure of the tautomer obtained after recyrstallization was confirmed by X-ray single crystal analysis. Dilithiated 1-benzoylacetone prepared in excess LDA [diketone: LDA: ahydride, 1:3:1] was condensed with 5-chloroisatoic anhydride followed by acid cyclization of intermediate(s) that were not isolated to afford the quinoline type product, the 2-phenacylquinolinone and not the quinolinol. The quinolinone was shown to be the tautomer isolated and purified based on proton NMR and X-ray structural analysis. 21. Novel Aldol-Type Condensation Processes Involving 1-Benzoylacetone, Two Strong Bases, and Select Ketones Sarah S. Carlisle, Philip J. Mabe, William G. Shuler, Clyde R. Metz, and Charles F. Beam, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) or lithium hexamethyldisilazide (LHMDS) were used to form dilithiated an intermediate (dianion type) with 1-benzoylacetone. These activated intermediates were condensed with a variety of aldehydes or ketones to afford hydroxyl intermediates that could be isolated after protonation when electron withdrawing groups were in a resonance position on a ring bonded to the carbonyl carbon. When electron donating groups were in a resonance position, linear dehydration occurred, and the tautomer that resulted underwent X-ray crystal analysis. The lithiated complex (or dianion) resulting from treatment of 1-benzoylacetone with LHMDS was condensed with 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde, a new naphthopyranylidene resulted. The conformation of its structure is also being undertaken with the aid of X-ray crystal analysis. When the dilithiated 1-benzoylacetone dianion was condensed with 2-amino-acetophenone, the hydroxyl intermediate underwent two dehydration processes, linear dehydration followed by cyclodehydration, to form the substituted quinoline. 22. Inducible costimulator is essential for Type 17 CD8+ T cell-mediated tumor immunity Carolyn Rogers1,2, Logan Huff2, Michelle Nelson2, Sreenath Kundimi2 and Chrystal Paulos2 1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Charleston 2Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina We discovered that Type 17 CD8+ T cell activation, differentiation, and immune function are regulated by the inducible costimulator ICOS. In this study, we examined the role of ICOS intumor immunity using a clinical relevant adoptive cell transfer therapy mouse model. We found that blocking ICOS slgnaling in mice completely impaired Tc17-mediated tumor immunity. Conversely, activating Tc17 cells with an ICOS agonist dramatically potentiated their functionality, thereby improving their capacity to eradicate large tumors. This improved antitumor immunity was associated with increased expression of IL-7R-alpha, CD103, and ICOS expression on the Type 17 CD8+ T cells, and enhanced persistence of the adoptively transferred cells. These findings have implications for the improvement of CD8+ T cell-based adoptive immunotherapy. 23. The Firefox Experience Jeffrey Decker, Chad Freeman, Carla Goodman, Erin McCall, and Bryan Von Dohlen, Department of Computer Science As open-source software has begun to grow in both popularity and relevance, so has the importance of involving students in these communities to expand our knowledge and prepare us for what lies ahead after graduation. As part of the Software Engineering Practicum course offered to Computer Science majors, Team Foxy chose to contribute to Mozilla’s open-source web browser Firefox. With nearly half a billion users worldwide, Firefox has proven to be an excellent starter project with a welcoming community, allowing us to get involved quite easily. Through interaction with the Mozilla community using resources such as Internet Relay Chat and Bugzilla (a bug-tracking tool), our team was able to successfully submit several fixes to bugs that will affect nearly 500,000 end-users. The unconventional nature of this course has been an invaluable experience for our team in our transition from academic studies to professional careers. 24. Contributing to XBMC James Joy, David Schirduan, Julie Norris, Matt Vaveris, and Jason Leonard, Department of Computer Science The Software Engineering Practicum course taught by Dr. James Bowring focuses on the development of open source software. Open Source Software is built on public contributions, or donations of time and skill made by programmers. Team Triple J chose to contribute/donate to XBMC, formerly known as Xbox Media Center, which is multi-functionally designed to be used for personal entertainment systems. Team Triple J made itself known in the XBMC community by contributing to several bug reports and updating outdated and/or incorrect documentation. We were lucky to be involved during a time of heavy development and multiple releases. This gave us great insight into software engineering, testing, updating, and releasing. By actively contributing and participating in a vibrant, active community, we experienced a "trial-by-fire" insight into real-world software development. 25. Applications of Open Source Software in Computer Science Education Matthias Burrell, Stephen Davidson, Jennifer Green, James Rajabi, and Tatiana Taylor, Department of Computer Science Open source software has a wide variety of popular uses within culture today, including education. . The purpose of this project is to demonstrate how working on software of a significantly large scale, namely open source projects, provides a better learning experience for the student. Our open source experience came from the use of the website management software, Drupal. Through community involvement within Drupal, developing patches for Drupal, and these submitting patches to Drupal, we were able to demonstrate the advantages of using open source software in software engineering education. This project provides evidence that open source software is a more effective method for teaching students the core principles of software engineering than exercises and keystone projects. 26. High Quality Image Improvement Using the CofC Telescope Andrei Zorilescu and Joseph C. Carson, Department of Physics and Astronomy High resolution, image improvement codes offer the opportunity to improve the quality of astronomy images that have been degraded by problems such as poor telescope tracking, telescope vibrations, and blurring effects from the atmosphere. The Cassegrain Telescope at the College of Charleston (CofC) was used to collect images of an object in sets of different exposure times which were later analyzed for quality improvement. The purpose of this project was to show that images can be shifted and aligned to a certain point through software so that when the multiple images are combined, the effective resolution and overall image quality is substantially improved. We also investigated the effectiveness of combining a carefully selected subset of images, identified by the sharpness of the star features, to try and improve the final image quality. The object of focus was the double binary system Epsilon Lyrae. 27. Spawning Frequency Composition of Female Cobia, Rachycentron canadum, over 4 years in South Carolina Cassandra Jansch and Bill Roumillat, College of Charleston Department of Biology and South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Cobia, Rachycentron canadum, is a migratory pelagic fish that spawns along the southeastern United States coast from April to September. Being indeterminate batch spawners, cobia release eggs and sperm multiple times per spawning season. In South Carolina, cobia spawn in the southern estuaries Port Royal Sound and St. Helena Sound. Peak spawning season is during the months of May and June, which is when cobia are most susceptible to capture by recreational fishermen. Through studying postovulatory follicle degeneration of spawning cobia, I determined that the fish spawn once every six days and ten times per season. Each batch of eggs produced yields anywhere from 337,000 to 1,980,000 eggs per fish. I suggest that current regulations should be altered such that the cobia recreational fishing season is delayed one month to allow for increased potential progeny production. 28. Health related quality of life (HRQOL) in Malignant Glioma Patients Treated With Bevacizumab Ellen Innis1,2 and Teri N. Kreisl2 1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Charleston 2Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD Primary brain tumors such as anaplastic glioma and glioblastoma multiforme have a poor prognosis. Therefore, quality of life while receiving treatment is an important factor. Because curing patients of malignant brain tumors is often not possible, extended survival and delaying progression of disease are important, but need to be balanced with the negative effects of treatment. The FACTBr is a validated tool for assessing quality of life for brain tumor patients. This 50-item questionnaire is divided into five sections assessing general physical, social, emotional, and functional wellbeing, as well as brain tumor specific concerns. Each item is scored 0 (not at all) to 4 (very much). This study investigated whether baseline total FACTBr or subsection scores predict overall survival in 165 patients with malignant brain tumors. Data indicated that only baseline total FACTBr score and baseline physical wellbeing score were statistically significant for predicting overall survival. 29. Applying Analytical and Visual Algorithms to Water Quality Data Sets to Increase Data Utility Across a Spectrum of Target Constituencies Matthew Vaveris and Christopher Starr, Department of Computer Science The Knowledge Discovery in Databases process is a powerful analytical tool that can reveal new and thought-provoking interpretations of sources of data. I applied a variety of major data mining tools towards water quality data as a form of creative empiricism. This project amalgamated the studies of water quality with a creative and unorthodox analytical approach to find patterns in the data that may be useful for the community interested in the topic. At the same time, I applied data visualization techniques in such a way that it is easily consumable for people with a variety of backgrounds. The approach is designed to apply multiple views of a data set to potentially expose new value that would be missed by a targeted approach. By not defining the outcome a priori then matching a tool to enable that outcome, our approach opens up the range of analytical results for evaluation. 30. Award of Merit: A Developmental Rat Brain Atlas Using Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging Matthew C. Sherrier1, Evan Calabrese2, and G. Allan Johnson2 1Department of Psychology, College of Charleston 2Duke University Center for In Vivo Microscopy Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) is a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technique based on the diffusion properties of water in biological tissues. The directional restriction of water diffusion between and within axons allows for detailed visualization of white matter connectivity in the brain. This technology is being used at the Duke University Center for In Vivo Microscopy to establish a three-dimensional atlas of white matter development in the rat brain. Critical areas of the brain involved with vision and perception were segmented from the DTI data, including the optic nerve, optic chiasm, optic tract, lateral geniculate nucleus, and primary visual cortex, across multiple time points to follow their development. The software involved in the analysis of the DTI-MRI data, Avizo and TrackVis, can be used to gather quantitative metrics of white matter integrity. These statistics elucidate the normal course of white matter development in the rat visual system, and allow quantitative comparisons to human disease models. By mapping specific structures and projections as the rat brain develops, the developmental rat brain atlas will provide a highly detailed, threedimensional atlas of white matter to complement existing histology-based atlases. 31. New Class of Green Chemistry Surface Active Materials based on Natural Polyols for use in Rigid and Flexible Polyurethane Foams Patrick L. Coterillo and Neal Tonks, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry The primary goal of this research project is to synthesize a series of surfactants. The surfactant molecules utilize poly functional alcohols, also known as polyols, and hydride substituted silicone oils to in the synthesis reactions to produce surfactants that will have surface active properties needed to improve foam formation in the production of polyurethane foams. This project is also heavily involved in the application of “green chemistry” and environmentally safe practices. Throughout the course of this project a series of nine polyol intermediates have been created, and then reacted with silicone oils to form surfactants. The next phase of the project will be to have them tested in the production of polyurethane foams. Future plans for this project involve the creation of new surfactants based on polyols with higher hydroxyl content. 32. A Monte Carlo Population Study of Extrasolar Planets Around High Mass [A,B] Stars Jesica Trucks and Joseph C. Carson, Department of Physics and Astronomy With applications for the Subaru SEEDS Exoplanet survey, I developed Monte Carlo simulations to determine the population statistics of extrasolar planets around high mass A and B type stars, based on observational imaging data. The numerical codes also determine the probability of successfully imaging a planet around a star, as a function of planet temperature and orbital characteristics. For an example imaging data set, I performed a maximum likelihood analysis to determine the exoplanet frequencies most consistent with the observational results. 33. A Genome-wide Survey of Evolutionarily Conserved Nuclear Transport Genes in the Sea Urchin J.P. Smith, M.C. Bridges, M.R. Easterling, L.A. Jackson, and C. A. Byrum, Department of Biology Due to its ecological, commercial and biomedical significance, the genome of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus was sequenced in 2006. This genome revealed greater than 23,000 genes and most sequences were annotated at that time. Two gene families were not annotated in the initial effort: the karyopherin-α and karyopherin-β families. These nuclear transport genes are vital to movement of macromolecules into and out of the nucleus and currently only one, exportin-5, has been confirmed in S. purpuratus. Using reciprocal blasting and phylogenetic analysis, we have identified likely homologues to human karyopherins. Among the karyopherins, we found strong homology between each of the S. purpuratus genes and those from the human genome. Our results suggest gene duplications occurred in the evolution of importin-α, leading to the accumulation of additional importin family members within the human genome. Reverse transcriptase PCR, qPCR, and DNA sequencing confirm that the karyopherins Xpo1, Ipo7/8, and KPNA2/7 are expressed during development. 34. Characterizing the Surface and Subsurface Environment of Raditladi Basin on Mercury Heather Meyer1, Josh Moore2, and David Ruwadi1 1Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences 2Department of Computer Science As the major component of the NASA Mission Design Project, we were given the opportunity to design a Lander mission to Mercury for the purposes of determining the local surface composition, the processes currently reshaping the surface, the interaction between the surface and solar radiation, and the planetary heat flow through Mercury. Furthermore, the Lander operations will provide verification of existing orbiter data and will serve as a point of reference for the integration of magnetic field data. In cooperation with an engineering team at the University of Alabama-Huntsville, we have developed a mission scenario involving the analysis of surface and subsurface samples, magnetic field, and radiation measurements within Raditladi Basin on Mercury, an area known to contain features unique to Mercury called the 'hollows.' 35. Testing Structural and Computational Models of Enzymes Active Sites through Chemical Modifications: Metal Ion Interactions in the Hammerhead Ribozyme Thomas Struble and Marcello Forconi, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Recent computational and structural work on the full version of the hammerhead ribozyme have put forward novel models for its catalytic mechanism. In one model a metal ion involved in catalysis is coordinated to the N7 atom of residue G10.1 in the ground state of the reaction, but loses this coordination in the transition state. Thus, this ground state contact would be anticatalytic. A ribozyme modified to disrupt such ground state contact would be predicted to display enhanced activity relative to the unmodified ribozyme. To test this model, we have constructed a variant of the hammerhead ribozyme containing a CH group in place of the N7 of G10.1, and measured its reactivity using single-turnover kinetics. Our results suggest that the contact between the N7 atom of residue G10.1 and the active site metal ion is maintained in the transition state of the reaction. 36. Award of Merit: Temporal variations in bathymetry and morphology at Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary J. Ryan Rembert, Jim Niergarth, and Leslie Sautter, Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences Greg McFall, Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary NOAA’s Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary, located on the mid-continental shelf off the Georgia coast, was mapped in 2001 elucidating understanding of marine habitats and providing means to conceptualize the recent and ancient geologic history of the southeastern United States continental shelf. New multi-beam data was collected during a 2011 expedition on the NOAA Nancy Foster and was compared with previously collected data to understand how the bathymetry of Gray’s Reef has changed over time. Three-dimensional imagery and data processing were performed using CARIS HIPS/SIPS 7.1 software. The reef consists of mostly low-relief sandy bottom sediment interspersed with rocky outcrops and emergent limestone. Sediments have been eroded into ledges and low-relief features populated by a diverse community of fish and marine invertebrates. Observing how the morphology of these features change over time aids long-term habitat characterization not only at Gray’s Reef, but also at other physiographical and ecologically similar areas. 37. Transport of Naproxen and Ibuprofen in Homogeneously-packed Quartz Sand Columns Bradley D. Sion and Vijay M. Vulava, Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences Emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP’s) have become a concern due to the potential threat they pose in the environment. Low PPCP-concentrations in natural waters have been shown to adversely affect aquatic and non-aquatic organisms. Environmental fate of PPCPs is largely unknown, but one main degradation mechanism in natural waters includes sorption to soils and stream sediments. Mineral surfaces in soils and reactive fractions of natural organic matter (OM) can potentially sorb PPCPs. Complex structures of PPCPs include functional groups that can interact with reactive fractions in soils and sediment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the geochemical fate of two PPCPs, ibuprofen and naproxen in porous media. Preliminary data suggested that these compounds sorb onto clay surfaces and reactive fractions of OM. We expect that this preliminary data will help us develop better insights into transport of pharmaceutical chemicals in soils and groundwater. 38. Comparison of water table response dynamics and an energy budget model to estimate evapotranspiration rates at Dixie Plantation, Church Flats Watershed, Charleston County, South Carolina Bradley D. Sion and Timothy J. Callahan, Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences The objective of this study was to examine the effects of storm and drought conditions on the water budget and hydrology dynamics at Church Flats watershed of the Stono River basin in Charleston County, South Carolina. We used water table data to estimate evapotranspiration (ET) rates for a groundwater seep that discharges to a salt marsh. Severe drought conditions in 2007 and wet conditions from large storm events in 2008 and 2010 were inspected, and the water table behavior from these time sequences were compared to discern any trends in diurnal water table fluctuations. Shallow groundwater and meteorological data were then analyzed using White’s method to measure ET and compared to Turc’s method for estimating potential evapotranspiration (PET). As expected, calculated Turc’s PET values were larger in relation to measured ET because the water table method inherently accounts for antecedent soil moisture conditions, a factor not included in PET calculations. 39. Bathymetric analysis of a complex promontory extending into the Gulf Stream off Charleston, SC M. G. Smythe, P.J. Bierce, L.R. Sautter and M.S. Harris, Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences Bulls Scarp is a cape-like promontory located at the continental shelf edge, 100 km off the coast of Charleston, SC. Multibeam sonar data collected in July 2011 aboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster reveal a variety of complex bathymetric features. The 1.8 by 10.9 km survey area ranges in water depths from 40-210 m. Data were analyzed using CARIS HIPS and SIPS 7.1 software and reveal seafloor features including sand waves, current scours, depressions, a small canyon, multiple ledges and a possible iceberg plough mark--the southern-most feature of its kind identified in the western North Atlantic. This survey fills a gap along a 100 km section of the 50 m isobath of essential fish habitat within the South Atlantic Bight. Such bathymetric information is contributing to the designation of possible essential fish habitat and marine protected areas. 40. Oxytocin Receptor Distribution in the Extended Amygdala in Response to Cocaine Withdrawal Stephanie Johnson1, Parrish Waters2, and Ronald See2 1Department of Biology, College of Charleston 2Department of Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina Relapse is the main obstacle in the treatment of drug addiction. Anxiety experienced during withdrawal from a drug of abuse is thought to trigger relapse. Stress hormones, such as CRF (corticotropin releasing factor) and NE (norepinephrine) are released into the body upon activation of the stress feedback loop. Oxytocin has emerged as a potential contributor to this system. To better understand the role of oxytocin in withdrawal from cocaine, we used an animal model of drug addiction, in which rats self-administered cocaine for two weeks. Following self-administration and two days of abstinence, we assessed anxiety levels and found animals that self-administered cocaine exhibited higher levels of anxiotypic behavior. To identify changes in oxytocin receptor levels, we isolated the extended amygdala of these animals and quantified protein expression. Evaluation of oxytocin receptor expression is ongoing and will provide a neurochemical correlate to the anxiety reported during withdrawal from cocaine. 41. The Effects of Paclitaxel on Ceramide Composition and CerS2 Expression in Breast Cancer Cells Christopher C. Asuzu1,2 and Stefka D. Spassieva2 1Department of Biology, College of Charleston 2MUSC Department of Medicine Patients becoming resistant or unresponsive to paclitaxel treatment are hindering its success. In a genomic screen it has been shown that the ceramide pathway can increase cancer cell sensitivity to paclitaxel, including breast cancer cells. In addition, down regulation of ceramide synthase 2 by siRNA has been shown to increase breast cancer cell sensitivity to paclitaxel. In an effort to improve and understand these phenomena a paclitaxel resistant cell culture model is being made. Lipid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry was used to analyze the ceramide composition of the paclitaxel treated cells at different time points during paclitaxel incubation. CerS2 expression in these paclitaxel treated cells was quantified using RT-PCR. The current results show a decrease in ceramide composition and CerS2 expression in paclitaxel treated cells. In the future, other ceramide synthases will be observed and we will continue to analyze the ceramide composition of the cells at different concentrations of paclitaxel. 42. Effect of Social Isolation on Adult Neurogenesis in the California Mouse S. Bradley King and Michael G. Ruscio, Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience The production of new neurons (neurogenesis) in adult mammals is known to be affected by various extrinsic factors including social environment. The California mouse, a highly social rodent species, displays monogamy and bi-parental care; consequently, this species should be particularly sensitive to manipulations of its social environment. In the present experiment, the effect of isolation on neurogenesis in the brains was examined using a neural marker, BrdU. Cells were visualized and quantified using immunofluorescence. We predicted that neurogenesis would decrease due to isolation. Preliminary results, however, show no significant difference in the number of new cells in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus due to isolation. Additional data from our lab shows new cells in less established limbic system structures: bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and medial amygdala. These results could offer a better understanding of the neural mechanisms that underlie the behavioral deficits associated social deprivation. 43. Award of Merit: The Accumulation of Proteoglycans Contributes to Myxomatous Valve Disease in the ADAMTS5 Mouse Model Matthew Berger, Loren E. Dupuis and Christine B. Kern, Department of Biology Myxomatous valve disease is a type of congenital heart disease in which heart valves are enlarged and cannot function properly, the etiology of which is not well understood. Previous research showed that Versican, a proteoglycan, is a substrate of the ADAMTS5 protease and accumulates in ADAMTS5 deficient mice. Through my independent study, I sought to test the hypothesis that the over-accumulation of proteoglycan substrates in ADAMTS5 deficient mice contributes to their myxomatous morphology. Mice bred from two heterozygous parents were dissected and their hearts sectioned and stained with fluorescent tags to indicate the presence of the proteoglycans in question. When compared to hearts of wild type mice, knockouts were observed to have an increased accumulation of fibromodulin and a malformed decorin structure in the pulmonary valves. This suggests that these two proteoglycans are substrates of the ADAMTS5 protease and that their accumulation contributes to the progression of myxomatous valve disease. 44. Isolation and Characterization of Mycobacteriophages in Charleston, South Carolina Christopher Asuzu, Thomas Burnette, Nicholas Calcagno, Emily Carrig, Amanda Collins, Rachel Ekdahl, Alana Guziewicz, Stephanie Haney, Tanya Hunt, Charlotte Kelsey, Laura Jackson, Charlotte Kelsey, Brad Long, Ben McWhite, Wesley Murphy, Marshall Oelsen, Pooja Patel, Ariane Pereira, Ben Perrin, Thomas Pittman, Eric Robertson, Allysan Scatterday, Corey Seacrist, Gabe Segarra, Elliott Smith, Kareen Taha, Christopher Korey, Erin Morris, Ana Zimmerman, Department of Biology Soil samples were collected from College of Charleston campus and surrounding areas. The particle matter and bacterial cells from the samples were then pelleted through centrifugation and filtered further to rid the samples of bacterial cells. The filtrate underwent a serial dilution and the was incubated with Mycobacterium smegmatis for the potential mycobacteriophage to infect. The M. smegmatis mixtures were then plated and incubated and any resulting plaques observed on plates were labeled individually and "picked" for phage. Plates with M. smegmatis lawns were used to spot test each plaque for viable phage. The resulting phage were streaked and diluted until a web pattern resulted upon streaking and incubation with M. smegmatis Phage was prepared for PCR and a restriction digest with primers to determine which cluster or subcluster the phage belonged to. Samples of phage were also prepared for electron micrograph. Samples of every viable phage found from soil samples were sent to the University of Pittsburgh for their genomes to be sequenced. 45. The Future of Visual Search Thomas Dameron, Alyssa Finn, James Raptis, John Stromberg, and Caroline Sylvia, Department of Computer Science What if visual search was incredibly easy and convenient? In the future of visual search, we visualize pointing your mobile camera at an object and nearly instantly receiving links and text, informing and educating the user about the specific object. With a virtual world of pictures connected to information, typing into a search bar may become less common. In the web-based world we live in, we have essentially all searchable information accessible at our fingertips, whenever we need it. Although this process of searching using text is incredibly effortless compared to the results we discover, we believe the advanced society we live in should be able to reduce or eliminate typing from search and manual search in general. 46. Is Google TV the Future of Television? Walter Fulbright, Charlee Sullivan, Matt Turner, and Luxi Zeng, Department of Computer Science Google has expanded their market into a wide variety of businesses all the way from Search to YouTube and now they have expanded to television. Google plans on bridging the gap between cable and the Internet. This project will explore the future of streaming multimedia with their latest creation, Google TV, Google TV offers similar accommodations as a computer but just on a TV. It allows the user to watch YouTube and Netflix from the TV. With Google TV the user assess to the same apps found on cell phones and tablet. Google TV isn’t seen as a problem solver but instead it is a luxury item for those that can afford it. 47. Predictive Analytics: We Know Where You Will Be in the Future Sarah Bensema, Andrew Hendricks, Kristen Smith, John Tammany, and George Warburg, Department of Computer Science Predictive Analytics (PA) is used in almost every industry to predict future trends based on decisions made in the past. PA works by compiling and storing data and using previous trend analysis to predict future trends. We believe that this idea can be applied to geolocation as well. For our project, we focus primarily on the ability of smart phones to track geolocation and store data. Smart phones have access to information from all different kinds of accounts. By using this stored data, and applying predictive analytics, we believe that smart phones will be able to generate possible outcomes and choices that the user will make in the future. Our project focuses on how predictive analytics can be used to predict the physical location of the user in the future. 48. Virtual Migration: Feeling The World Through The Network Sergio Martinez Calderon, Parker Galloway, Matt Johnson, and Shane Rogan, Department of Computer Science Millions of people each day are using some sort of social networking in order to stay connected with their social world. One thing they lack though is face to face communication. With the invention of virtual migration people will be able to see what the other person is seeing through a virtual world and experience what they are seeing. This new technology benefits from geolocation systems to transport you in real time to any place so that you can see and feel what your connections are experiencing. In addition, virtual reality will enable people to also experience social media in a whole new way by making it seem like they are really there. 49. App Inventor Edu Eric Brown, Keith Duncan, Rollins Burnam, and John Crepeau, Department of Computer Science Mobile applications are triggering a fundamental shift in the way people experience computing. Today, smartphones have become computers in our pockets, serving our communication and information needs and making the web part of all that we do. App Inventor for Android is a programming tool that makes it easy for anyone — programmers and non-programmers, adults and kids — to create mobile applications for the Android phone. App Inventor was piloted by Google Research in 2010 and App Inventor development continues at the MIT Center for Mobile Learning (CML). Because it already has a web-based interface for app design, users do not need to go into Java programming specifics with the software development kit. This will influence other educational institutions to use the open source as a way to build Android applications. In turn, this will get more students interested in Android applications development. 50. Breeding wetland selection of the Carolina gopher frog Kevin Maginn1, Joyce Marie Klaus2, and Allison Welch1 1Department of Biology, College of Charleston 2Department of Biology, University of Central Florida The Carolina gopher frog (Lithobates capito) is a habitat specialist with a limited range within the southeastern coastal plain of the United States, and it is therefore a species of conservation concern. In order to maintain viable gopher frog populations on a local scale it is important to identify and maintain suitable breeding wetlands within the limited matrices of upland habitat they inhabit. To determine which factors influence the use of breeding wetlands by gopher frogs, we compare several environmental variables with the presence of L. capito as determined by a chorus survey. Environmental data were collected, including vegetation characteristics, water quality, forest management regime, and biotic community composition for each of the 24 wetlands included in the chorus survey. We determined what relationships exist between environmental variables and gopher frog presence. Understanding what factors influence the selection of breeding sites by rare amphibians is essential for their conservation. 51. Stress Effects on Alcohol Consumption Paige Brubacher1, Marcelo Lopez2, and Howard Becker2 1Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience, College of Charleston 2Department of Psychiatry, MUSC Alcohol is known to activate stress systems in the brain. Conversely, alcohol can have an anxiolytic effect, which in turn can motivate drinking. This study looked at alcohol consumption in alcohol dependent and nondependent mice after undergoing one of three stress challenges: restraint, forced swim or social defeat. We were also interested in the effect of 24h ethanol access compared to limited 2h access paradigm often used in drinking studies. After training C57BL/6J mice to have a baseline level of ethanol consumption, we started a schedule of alternating weeks chronic intermittent ethanol exposure and 24h continual ethanol access. In the fifth cycle of this schedule, stress challenges were applied daily for five days prior to alcohol access. Results showed decreased drinking following social defeat stress in both alcohol dependent and non-dependent mice. Escalation in alcohol consumption was shown more significantly in the recordings of 24h consumption than the initial 2h alone. 52. Analysis of Traffic Patterns at a Four-Way Stop Jaime Thrift, Department of Physics and Astronomy Traffic patterns at a four-way stop, three miles southwest of exit 194 on SC Interstate 26, were studied. Rush hour, 5-6pm, was of special interest. The flow, q, was determined for each day and turn choice during this hour. Two different turn choices, designated ab and ba, had significantly higher q each day than other choices, leading to the calculation of Peak Hour Factor, PHF, which is an indicator of traffic fluctuation. High PHF corresponds to a longer period of high q. PHF, calculated for each turn each day, was 0.85, 0.98, 0.84, and 0.86 for turn ab and 0.83, 0.89, 0.94, and 0.95 for turn ba. By comparing PHF for each day, turn choice and the times it occurred, PHF was determined to be a possible indicator of longer travel time when departure time changes by a few minutes. 53. Influence of Barefoot Running on Running Economy In Recreational Runners M.M. Koehler, J.T. Repshas, E.E. Hawkins, K.L. Hines and M.G. Flynn, Department of Health and Human Performance Running economy provides a proxy measure for running efficiency. The purpose of this study was to determine if running economy differed between running with shoes, running barefoot, or weighted running (weights added that were equivalent to shoe weight). The subjects were active college students (n=18) who had previous running experience and were training to run in a local 10 kilometer race. Subjects performed three, seven minute, randomly assigned, sub-maximal running trials either barefoot, shod, or weighted. There were no significant differences between heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, or running economy for the three trials. We conclude that there was no benefit of barefoot running, with respect to running economy, perception of effort or heart rate. We conclude that running economy is not affected by barefoot running in college-aged, recreational runners who have not had significant experience with barefoot running. 54. Functional characterization of SdsA1, an alkylsulfatase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa Avery Zierk, James Holt, and Marcello Forconi, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry SdsA1 is a 72-kDa protein used by the pathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa to hydrolyze sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), a common surfactant used in soaps and detergents because of its proposed microbicidal properties. We have undertaken a comprehensive study to understand the mechanism of catalysis of this enzyme, using proposals from the published crystal structure. To date, we have expressed and purified SdsA1, and tested for sulfatase activity using a colorimetric assay. Our work will provide important information regarding an enzyme used by a pathogenic bacteria, and will also have implications for a systems biology-oriented approach to the bioremediation of SDS-contaminated sites. Further, future comparison between the catalytic strategies used by SdsA1 and other enzymes belonging to the same protein superfamily of SdsA1, the metallo-beta-lactamase superfamily, will elucidate factors that contribute to the evolution of new substrate specificities using a common three-dimensional scaffold. 55. Comparison of Startle Response in Two Ambystomid Salamander Species Z.J. Taylor and G.W. Milliken, Department of Psychology The ontogeny of the startle response in larval tiger (A. tigrinum) and spotted salamanders (A. maculatum) was tracked from the early to late aquatic developmental stage. To evaluate the startle response, larvae were subjected to a brief vibrotactile stimulus and the behavioral response was recorded. Responses were evaluated using a Z-test. The two species demonstrated different responses to the stimulus. In the legless early aquatic stage (10 days post hatching), tiger salamanders exhibited the startle response while spotted salamanders remained immobile. In the quadrupedal late aquatic stage (23 days post hatching), tiger salamanders continued to exhibit startle responses while spotted salamanders showed increasing propensity to respond. Differences in escape response serve as distinct examples of different species typical behaviors. Species differences are attributed to these morphological and ontogenetic characteristics: tiger salamanders are larger, with a slower ontogenetic rate while spotted salamanders are a smaller but exhibit comparatively rapid development. 56. Hip Range of Motion Predicts Dynamic Lower Extremity Alignment in Adolescent Athletes J.L. Hunnicutt1, A. Nguyen1, L.J. DiStefano2, B. Buckley3, and M.C. Boling3 1Department of Health and Human Performance, College of Charleston 2University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 3University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL Inward collapse of the hip and knee has been theorized to be a risk factor for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Hip range of motion (ROM) is thought to influence joint motion during dynamic tasks and may be leading to this inward collapse. While this relationship has been observed in adults, there is little research investigating the influence of hip ROM on dynamic joint angles in the adolescent athlete, who may be at greatest risk for ACL injury. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the influence of hip ROM on knee excursions during a jump landing task in 73 adolescent athletes. In males, more hip external rotation (HER) predicted more inward collapse of the knee at initial contact explaining 8.6% of the variance (P=0.046). In females, more HER predicted less knee valgus at initial contact, less knee valgus excursion, and less knee external rotation excursion. 57. Variation in Projectin Isoforms and Flight Performance in Drosophila melanogaster K. Corder and A. Ayme-Southgate, Department of Biology Insect flight muscles are extraordinary in their diversity at the anatomical, physiological and molecular levels. The myofibrillar structure provides the muscle with its contractile properties and contributes to muscle stiffness. Insect sarcomeres contain relatively inextensible filaments linking the Z-band to the myosin filaments, which are known as C-filaments and contain two proteins, projectin and kettin/Sls. The molecular characterization of projectin in basal and derived insects reveals the presence of a unique PEVK region, which is extensively alternatively spliced. In D. melanogaster the PEVK region ranges from 100 to 600 amino acids. The unusual amino acid composition of the PEVK segment, as well as its variable length may contribute to its proposed role as the elastic segment. We will present data investigating the possible correlation between the relative abundance of different projectin PEVK isoforms and two parameters affecting the fly’s flight property, sex and age. 58. Three-Dimensional Analysis of a Novel Mouse Model Demonstrating Bicuspid Pulmonary and Aortic Cardiac Valves Rachel Ekdahl1, Loren Dupuis2, Deidra Weber1 and Christine B. Kern2 1Biology Department, College of Charleston 2Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina Bicuspid pulmonary and aortic valves (BPV, BAV), instead of normal tricuspid cardiac outflow valves, are the result of abnormal cusp formation during valvulogenesis. BAV leads to cardiac valve dysfunction, which requires risky and expensive surgical intervention. Although BAV is the most prevalent cardiovascular malformation, very little is known about the mechanisms involved in disease progression. We hypothesized that changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM) during valvulogenesis mediate the development of a bicuspid or tricuspid cardiac outflow valve. Therefore, we generated a mouse model deficient in the ADAMTS5 ECM protease containing a reduction of Smad2, an intracellular signaling molecule critical for valve development. Amira three-dimensional reconstructions of the ADAMTS5-/-;Smad2+/outflow tract valves were used to reveal the formation of myxomatous bicuspid valves compared to control mice. Investigation of the novel ADAMTS5-/-;Smad2+/mouse model of bicuspid valve formation may lead to important mechanistic information necessary for the development of effective therapeutic treatments. 59. Mercury's Magnetosphere, Mineralogy, and Geology (M3G) Jesica Trucks1, Justin Peers2, and Caroline Smith2 1Department of Physics and Astronomy 2Department of Geology and Environmental Geoscience The NASA Space Mission Design Class this semester focused on developing feasible scientific goals and objectives for a mission to Mercury. M3G (Mercury's, Magnetosphere, Mineralogy, and Geology is a collaborative effort between College of Charleston, University of Alabama at Hunstville, and ESTACA in Paris. M3G will determine the connection between the magnetosphere, exosphere, and surface geology of Mercury upon landing in a volatile rich basin. By cross examining spectral data of both surface rock and exosphere composition, M3G will determine the rate at which volatiles are released from Mercury’s surface into the exosphere. 60. Abnormal Heart Development in a Mouse Model of the LEOPARD / Noonan Syndrome Gabriel C. Segarra1, Boding Zhang2, Jessica Lauriol3, Maria I. Kontaridis3, Kyu-Ho Lee2 1Department of Biology, College of Charleston 2MUSC Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology: Pediatric Cardiology Division 3Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Cardiology As our knowledge and understanding of genes and gene expression have increased, mutations of specific gene loci have been implicated as being causative of previously well-characterized congenital syndromes. In humans, mutant forms of the PTPN11 gene have been linked to congenital heart diseases, specifically the LEOPARD and Noonan syndromes. Mutation at the PTPN11 locus results in irregular forms of Shp2, a protein tyrosine phosphatase that is hypothesized to be involved in biochemical pathways which profoundly affect embryonic heart development. In order to examine the physical abnormalities that result from abnormal Shp2 and to test the hypothesis that mutant forms of Shp2 can cause LS/NS, we used crosssectional photographs of PTPN11-mutant mouse embryos at various stages of development to create computerized 3D cardiac reconstructions. Embryos 12.5-14.5 days into development showed abnormalities similar to those seen in human LS and NS. Ongoing work will examine mutant heart development in more detail. 61. Synthesis of Key Intermediates for the Formation of Phthalazinones as an Anticancer Agent Justin K. Wyatt, Stephen Brown, Shawn Ferguson, and Kristen Warren, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Chemotherapy kills cancer cells in several ways including reducing tumor size and destroying microscopic metastases. Combretastatin (CA4) is a chemotherapy drug that binds to the colchicine binding-site of microtubulin to stop cell proliferation. Since combretastatin is not effective on all patients for numerous reasons, our group is involved in the development and synthesis of a class of anticancer compounds called phthalazinones. Phthalazinones are predicted to mimic the binding potential of CA4 based on a 2D-QSAR (quantitative structure activity relationship) study developed in collaboration with Dr. Yuri Peterson at MUSC. To form phthalazinone as an anticancer agent, we had to synthesize two key intermediates. The first started with 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid to create 4,5,6-trimethoxyphthalide. The second was the nitration of 4-methoxybenzaldehyde to produce 4-methoxy-3-nitrobenzaldehyde. The synthesis of these materials will aid in future production of our phthalazinone anticancer agent and with further modifications possibly replace combretastatin as a chemotherapy drug. 62. The Invasive Parasitic Nematode, Anguillicoloides crassus: Infection and Health Status of the American Eel, Anguilla rostrata in the Pee Dee River, South Carolina Rachel Dorr1 and Jennifer Hein2 1Department of Biology, College of Charleston 2MES Graduate Program, College of Charleston Anguillicoloides crassus is an invasive nematode which infects the swimbladder of the American eel, Anguilla rostrata whose population is in worrisome decline. The infection and health status of eels in South Carolina (SC) is unknown. Eels (n=101) were collected from the lower Pee Dee River in spring and fall 2011. Prevalence and intensity of infection, and splenosomatic and hepatosomatic indices were determined according to season and size of the eels. There was a significantly higher prevalence of infection during the spring (50%) compared to the fall (28%). Larger eels (≥300 mm) had a higher prevalence of infection (49%) compared to smaller eels (21%). Infected eels had a smaller hepatosomatic index than uninfected eels, which suggests that their health is negatively affected by this parasite. This research shows that this parasite is prevalent in SC waters and supports the idea that its occurrence may threaten the American eel population. 63. Modafinil reverses methamphetamine-induced memory deficits in an object-inplace task in rats: role of glutamate receptor expression Meghin J. Gilstrap1, Carmela M. Reichel2, Lauren A. Ramsey1, Jacqueline F. McGinty2, and Ronald E. See2 1Department of Psychology, College of Charleston 2Department of Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina Chronic methamphetamine (METH) exposure causes long term cognitive deficits. Here, we demonstrate in rats that chronic self-administered METH impairs memory on an object-in-place task (OIP) and evaluate whether modafinil (a cognitive enhancing drug) reversed this memory impairment. Rats either selfadministered intravenous METH or saline, and were subsequently tested for OIP recognition memory. Saline-treated rats spent more time interacting with objects in changed locations, while METH-treated rats did not show object preference, indicating a memory deficit. A pre-injection of modafinil showed a reversal in this deficit in METH-treated rats. To evaluate neurobiological modifications, we evaluated glutamate NMDA2B receptors in memory-related brain areas. METH self-administration had no effect on receptor expression in the hippocampus but decreased expression in the perirhinal cortex. Further examination of NMDA2B receptor levels in the prefrontal cortex may reveal more about the mechanisms that underlie METH-induced OIP deficits and its subsequent alteration by modafinil. 64. Synthesis of a novel heterocyclic silane compound, 1,1,3,3-tetrafluoro-1,3disilacyclopentane Horace Dukes, Justin Wyatt and Gamil Guirgis, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry While extensive research has been reported regarding the synthesis , structure, and conformational analysis of various cyclopentanes and cyclopentane derivatives, much remains unknown regarding cyclic compounds with silicon atoms introduced as part of the ring. It is also reported in literature that the inclusion of a silicon or germanium atom in the ring drastically changes the conformation of the five-membered rings to which they are introduced. A greater understanding of the incurred molecular changes would be beneficial in regards to improving and creating new commercial applications of cyclosilanes, such as the silicon films currently used in solar cells and water-repellent coatings. This knowledge prompted us to prepare 1,3disilacyclopentane, 1,3-disila-1,1,3,3-tetrachlorocyclopentane, and 1,3-disila-1,1,3,3-tetrafluorocyclopentane molecules, the last of which had never been synthesized before now, in order to study the conformational stability of the products. 65. Award of Merit: Dangling Amine: a strategic synthesis for a novel class of antibiotics Christen Chaconas and Justin Wyatt, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Antibiotic resistance is a global crisis and is capable of harming anyone, anywhere. Since the advent of antibiotics in the early 20th century only 13 new classes of antibiotics have been discovered. Synthesis of new antibiotics would not only provide patients with more treatment options but would also help control the spread of resistant microbes. In nature a variety of organisms have evolved their own defense against infectious agents. We are modeling our antibiotic after the naturally occurring Cytosporone E, a very weak, antibiotic that is a product of two different endophytic fungi, Cytospora and Diaporthe. Our overall goal is to transform Cytosporone E into a new class of potent antibiotics. Thus far, we have successfully synthesized the backbone of our derivative and are currently synthesizing a dangling amine that will be used as a handle to develop a series of different, yet potential, antibiotics. 66. Overexpression and Purification of a Functional Manganese Catalase Andrew Lejman and Pamela Riggs-Gelasco, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Catalases disproportionate H2O2 into O2 and H2O and, in conjunction with superoxide dismutase, are vital in preventing oxidative damage to cellular components by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Typically, catalases utilize a heme metallocofactor but a growing number of bacterial species such as Bacillus cereus, Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus anthracis express a “pseudocatalase”, containing a manganese cluster that catalyzes the same reaction. Previous attempts to overexpress and purify the L. plantarum manganese catalase (MnCat) have been plagued by insolubility issues. Here, we report the partial purification of a functional manganese catalase. Activity assays indicate catalase activity in the presence of high sodium azide concentrations that normally inhibit heme catalase, suggesting the presence of an active manganese catalase enzyme. Details of the expression, purification, and assays will be presented. 67. Powerful Winds from a Supermassive Black Hole Matthew Marvin and George Chartas, Department of Physics and Astronomy We present results from the spectral analysis of X-ray observations of the broad absorption line (BAL) quasar PG 1115+080 performed with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. Our analysis shows two X-ray BALs with rest-frame energies of 6.82 and 11.40 keV. These lines are detected at > 99 % confidence. We interpret this absorption as due to lines arising from highly blueshifted Fe XXV 1s–2p. The maximum blueshift of the lines imply an outflow velocity of ~0.5c. We calculated the column density of the outflowing X-ray absorber using a curve-of-growth analysis and used the variability of the absorber to constrain its location. By estimating the mass-outflow rate, efficiency of the outflow, and assuming that the outflow properties of PG 1115+080 are a common property of most quasars at similar redshifts, our results then imply that quasar winds are massive and energetic enough to influence significantly the formation of the host galaxy, provide significant metal enrichment to the interstellar medium and intergalactic medium, and are a viable mechanism for feedback at redshifts near the peak in the number density of galaxy mergers. 68. Possible Detection of Active Galactic Nuclei in Protogalaxies Christopher Andrews and George Chartas, Department of Physics and Astronomy The galaxy formation process is thought to be hierarchical with smaller dark matter haloes coalescing to form larger ones that eventually form protogalaxies. Protogalaxies may contain enough gas to fuel a possible central massive black hole. If this is the case we might expect to find a large fraction of protogalaxies with active nuclei. To test this scenario, we performed an exploratory search for X-ray emission associated with intervening Damped Lyman Alpha absorbers, presented in a survey of distant quasars. The X-ray observations of these quasars were made with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. In four cases we discovered X-ray emission within 2 arcsec of the background quasar that is known to contain absorption from the intervening system. The X-ray luminosities of the detected sources are consistent with those of active galactic nuclei. One exciting possibility is that this X-ray emission originates from an active galactic nucleus near the center of a protogalaxy. 69. Ethanol Induced Regulation of Apoptotic Markers and Protection by Calpeptin in Ventral Spinal Cord Motor Neurons Kaushal S. Patel1, Supriti Samantaray2, Varduhi H. Knaryan2, and Naren L. Banik2 1Department of Biology, College of Charleston 2Division of Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina Alcoholism has devastating effects such as hepatic toxicity, impaired movement and coordination, and cognitive dysfunction. This study focused on the different pathways of neuronal cell death caused by exposure to the psychoactive-ethanol. Hybrid ventral spinal cord (VSC) motor neuron cells differentiated into motor neuronal phenotype were exposed to different concentrations of ethanol that correspond to the levels found in Blood Alcohol Concentrations (BAC) after social and binge drinking. Morphological assessment of VSC motor neurons via In Situ wright staining showed significant cell death at ethanol concentrations >50 mM. Cell death was also found in prolonged exposure of ethanol at concentrations >12.5 mM. Increasing ethanol concentrations showed up-regulation of intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic proteases such as caspase-3, caspase-8, Annexin V, and elevated Bax/Bcl2 ratio. Calpain, a major protease upstream of the proteolytic cascade, was also up-regulated. Calpeptin, a major calpain inhibitor, induced resistance against the upregulation of these proteases. 70. Site-Directed Mutagenesis of Key Residues in the Protein Frataxin: Results from Chemistry 583L, a Research Methods Course in Biochemistry Christine Chaconas, Whitney Gibbs, Matthew Knowe, Andrew Lejman, Corey Seacrist, Thomas Struble, and Pamela Riggs-Gelasco, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Frataxin is a mitochondrial protein involved in iron homeostasis and regulation by serving as an iron chaperone for assembly of iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters on scaffold proteins such as Isu. Mutations in this gene causes Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), a neurodegenerative, fatal disease. Structural alignments of the gene coding for the protein show that sites for iron binding and residues involved in protein-protein interfaces are highly conserved. To elucidate the functional residues of Frataxin, we amplified the gene with a mismatched primer to introduce key amino acid substitutions. We attempted to make the following mutants of the Drosophila frataxin homologue: W133Y, R143Q, D86A, E89A, E90A, and E93A. These residues are either proposed Fe ligands or key residues in the interface of frataxin to the Fe scaffold protein Isu. Several mutations were introduced successfully and can now be expressed and purified as altered proteins for spectroscopic and mechanistic study. 71. Award of Merit: Applications of Computational Stochastic Geometry to the Determination of Cloud Structure Clarissa Briner and Michael Larsen, Department of Physics and Astronomy Stochastic geometry is the study of spatial point processes. Perfectly random spatial distributions of discrete entities, which are devoid of any statistical organization, are called Poisson distributions. Most systems in nature do not exhibit statistical perfect randomness, therefore well-constructed models of these natural systems should have some embedded mechanism for introducing deviations from perfect spatial randomness. One way of doing this is to introduce an explicit (positive or negative) correlation between particles based on their relative locations. The internal structure of clouds is still subject to much debate in the atmospheric science community. Threedimensional cloud structure is often extrapolated from one-dimensional data. We will attempt to demonstrate that this method leads to incorrect conclusions about cloud structure by analyzing various different distributions of particles in three dimensions, and comparing these analyses to one-dimensional “pencil beams” randomly selected from the initial data. 72. Relationship between Static Lower Extremity Alignment and Landing Mechanics in Adolescent Athletes J.T. Rabe1, A. Nguyen1, L.J. DiStefano2, B.D. Buckley3, and M.C. Boling3 1Department of Health and Human Performance, College of Charleston 2University of Connecticut 3University of North Florida It is theorized that abnormal static lower extremity alignment (LEA) may contribute to dynamic malalignments known to increase the risk of knee injuries. Limited research has examined the relationship between static LEA and dynamic motion, particularly in the adolescent athlete where preventative measures may be beneficial. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the influence of static LEA on knee joint angles during a double-leg jump landing (JL) in adolescent athletes. Assessment of 69 adolescent athletes revealed that in males, greater knee hyperextension (R2=0.143, P=.010) and greater Q-angle (R2change=0.102, P=.022) combined to predict greater knee valgus excursion explaining 24.5% of the variance (P=0.003). Greater pronation in males predicted less hip adduction at initial contact (R2=0.09, P=.045) but greater hip adduction excursion (R2=0.112, P=0.026). In females, less pelvic tilt predicted greater hip internal rotation excursion (R2=0.187, P=0.035). 73. Synthesis of a Novel Anticancer Agent Modeling Combretastatin A-4 Vincent Palmieri, Kimberly Klas and John Coward, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry The purpose of chemotherapy is to kill pathogenic cells. But unfortunately, resistant cancer cells are both constantly developing and challenging modern antitumor chemotherapies creating a need for new chemotherapy regiments. Our research group, along with collaborators at MUSC, performed a molecular modeling (QSAR) study on combretastatin A-4 (CA4) and its derivatives. CA4 is an antitumor compound that binds to the specific section of a cell’s microtubulin (protein) called the colchicine binding site, inhibiting mitosis. From this study, we designed a set of molecules known as phthalazinones that are potentially potent against tumors and have lower levels of cytotoxicity (to normal cells) than that of CA4. Once synthesized, these designed phthalazinones will be tested for their relative potency, cytotoxicity, and their degree of colchicine inhibition at the colchicine binding site. The results of this testing will give us insight into developing the next generation of potential anticancer drugs. 74. Impact of Perturbation Area on the Phase Resetting Curve of Type II Oscillators Robert A. Raidt and Sorinel A. Oprisan, Department of Physics and Astronomy We investigated the effect parameters defining a synaptic current perturbation, such as its duration and amplitude, had on the firing rate, of a model neuron. Previous data has shown that the relevant control parameter that modulates the firing rate of a neuron is the net electric charge, i.e., area of the synaptic current versus time. We found that, for relatively weak couplings, the area of the phase resetting curve (PRC), which measures the transient change in the firing rate, is linearly proportional to the net synaptic charge. For strong synaptic couplings we found that a substantial increase in perturbation area leads to quadratic increases in the areas of the advancing and delaying sections of the PRC. It was also determined that increases in synaptic current duration lead to a positive quadratic increase of advancing and delaying area, while increases in amplitude lead to negative quadratic increases. 75. Award of Merit: Tadpole responses to environmental stressors – pesticides and