Student Creative Arts and Research Symposium | 2022
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/11274/13651
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Item Intervention to Mitigate Food Insecurity Among TWU First-Year Students (Denton Campus)(2022) Silva, Francilia BritoThis study tested whether an online food literacy (FL) course + food assistance intervention would improve food security (FS) and FL among TWU first-year students. Students were randomized to intervention (n=7) or control groups (n=6). Students in the intervention group participated in a 6-week FL online course and received food every 2 weeks during 11 weeks. Both groups answered pre-, mid-, and post-intervention surveys assessing FS and FL. Friedman test assessed changes in FL scores over time while the Mann-Whitney U test assessed changes between groups. Observed Marginal Homogeneity assessed changes in FS status over time while crosstabulations assessed changes between groups. Overall, FS did not change over time and was not different between groups, while FL total score (p=.034), food selection (p=.015), and food preparation (p=.014) were better in intervention at mid-point than control participants. An adequately powered study is warranted to further test the efficacy of this approach.Item The Issues of STEM: Preparing Competent Workers(2022) Benavides, Amaya; Navarra- Madsen, Junalyn; Richard, Abigale; Hixson, JaelyneSTEM jobs are essential to meeting the needs of society; however, there is a shortage of qualified STEM students. This is a result of students being unprepared, misinformed, and unaware of what a career in STEM entails. The purpose of this essay is to inform readers why content knowledge is inadequate for students who are endeavoring to pursue a STEM-related career (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math). First, we want to address the existing issues that hinder students from striving in STEM- related fields. Some of the biggest inhibitors to students are personal non-academic barriers, lack of academic readiness, and scarcity in role models/confidence. This is evident by the research we collected through hosting STEM student questionnaires and reading various literary works. Although our findings confirmed our hypothesis, there are feasible solutions that are and will be put in place to resolve the problem. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn Navarra- Madsen)Item Loss in ATE1 may affect energy metabolism through leptin(2022) Kopchenko, Nicholas; Alkhatatbeh, Mosleh; Brower, ChristopherArginyl-tRNA protein transferase 1 (ATE1) regulates protein degradation by Arg/N-end rule pathway. Previous studies have shown that downregulation of ATE1 can lead to neurodegeneration, behavioral abnormalities, hyperphagia and lower body weight. To determine how loss of ATE1 affects energy metabolism and food intake, ATE1-deficient and ATE1-containing mice were given high fat diet for 6-8 weeks. Based on our current data, we found significant sex differences in body weight and food intakes, with ATE1-deficient mice less sensitive to the obesogenic effects of high fat diet even while consuming the same amount of high fat diet as controls. Interestingly, ATE1-deficient mice exposed to high fat diet displayed lower plasma leptin levels even after normalizing to white adipose tissue (WAT) weight. We also show sex differences in ATE1-deficient female mice given acute leptin treatment. Taken together, these data indicate that loss of ATE1 affects leptin levels independent of WAT but may alter leptin sensitivity in ATE1-deficient mice.Item Potential Tomorrow’s Generation of Traffic Light Phosphors: New Copper Halide Cluster Complexes as Efficient Solid-State Emitters With Tunable Monochrome Colors(2022) Alshammari, Nowyer; Hitt, Britney; Nesterov, Vladimir; Rawashdeh-Omary, ManalLuminescent copper complexes are under current scrutiny for potential materials and biomedical applications. In this contribution, strongly- luminescent copper(I) halide dimethylpyrazole cluster complexes have been prepared under variable synthetic methods and conditions, including solventless (via mechanical grinding) and in organic solvent-mediated (chloroform, acetonitrile or dichloromethane) reactions. The products isolated exhibited rather bright and tunable monochrome colors that correspond to those of traffic lights (red, green, and yellow) in the solid state. Multiple products were isolated by altering the reaction stoichiometry and/or aforementioned synthetic variables even for the same chemical composition. Characterization of these complexes is presented using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to ascertain their purity and by UV/Vis absorption and photoluminescence (steady state and lifetimes) to characterize their photophysical properties.Item Elderly Falls and Importance of Fall Risk Interventions(2022) Guntipalli, Prathima; Miller, Anastasia; Delgado, RigobertoBackground: Falls are common in the elderly mainly due to intrinsic factors or extrinsic fall risk factors. Purpose: The objective of this study was to conduct a literature review on falls in elderly and identify the importance of fall prevention interventions.Item Activated Caspase 3 Analysis in Traumatic Brain Injury Cerebral Organoids(2022) Romo Mercado, Nohemi; Lybrand, ZaneTBIs stands for traumatic brain injury which causes permanent loss of neural tissue. This experiment focused on pressure caused TBI and its resulting pathology. Cerebral organoids are in-vitro 3- dimensional stem cell cultures that display cerebral cortical regions similar to a developing human brain. Cerebral organoids were used because they potentially offer a more humanistic model of organization. The cerebral organoids were grown using the Pasca protocol and then to model a pressure induced TBI, the organoids are loaded into a tabletop blast chamber. The sections were stained using immunohistochemistry for activated caspase 3, which is an apoptosis marker to determine if the organoids reacted the same as a human brain would. In the cerebral organoids the frequency of the blast and the amount of cell death have a positive correlation. Thus, the dose response to different frequencies gives a threshold of cell death like that of a human blast TBI. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Zane Lybrand)Item Mortality Rates of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Brazil(2022) Sheets, Cherylhigher. This can be seen in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Brazil. These countries historically participated in the chattel slave trade and racial discrimination. I will examine the racial disparities of black maternity mortality rates in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Brazil.Item Plasma Processing for Recycling Co2: An Examination of Co2 Non-Thermal Plasma Generated at Atmospheric Pressure(2022) McNeill, Alice; Ivy, Kiersten; Beatty, JohnRecycling of carbon dioxide (CO2) into reusable materials is imperative as CO2 levels climb unabated in our atmosphere. Plasma processing offers a pathway to reuse CO2 by overcoming the energetic stability of the molecules and disrupting intramolecular bonds while generating reactive species. Reacting these species with gases, liquids, and surfaces produces carbon-containing molecules, which can then be “recycled” to produce fuels and additional chemicals that have intrinsic industrial value. A plasma cell was constructed for CO2 plasma generation and as a reaction cell for other gases. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and residual gas analyzer (RGA) measurements were performed on the plasma exhaust from a pure CO2 gas stream and a 1:1 CO2/N2. Preliminary results show the following compounds formed from the plasma: carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen tetroxide (N2O4), and oxygen.Item Antiproliferative Activity of Dioecious Maclura pomifera Plant Extracts on ER-positive Breast Cancer Cell Lines(2022) Rumpa, Mafia Mahabub; Maier, CameliaM.pomifera is a dioecious tree native to the south-central USA,reported to have anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, andantiproliferative properties. Native Americans have used plantparts for cancer treatment but few cancer research studies havefocused on M. pomifera, limiting our understanding of its medicinal properties. The goal of this research is to determineantiproliferative activities of M. pomifera plant extracts in ER-positive breast cancer MCF-7 and T47D cell lines. Capsaicin-likephytochemicals are known ligands for TRPV1 plasma membranechannels and were extracted from M. pomifera using organicreagents. Antiproliferative activities were evaluated using MTSassays, revealing that M. pomifera plant extracts significantlyreduced cancer cell growth, indicating antiproliferative properties.Future work will focus on elucidating the mechanism of action of M. pomifera in cancer cell lines via the TRPV1 channel and could leadto the discovery of natural products for the development of newanti-cancer drugs.Item Investigating the Interactions between DNA Oligomers and Gemini Surfactants(2022) Boatwright, Emily; Nembaware, Helen; Abbo Nono, Laureen; Ginegaw, Alexys; Iqbal, Sabiha; Sheardy, RichardThe observation that, under certain condition, a precipitate forms in a solution of (TTAGGG)4 and a 12-4-12 Gemini surfactant led us to expand the investigation. In the initial studies, solutions were prepared that contained a fixed concentration of the DNA oligomer Poster Presentations 20 and concentrations of the surfactant ranging from 0 mM to 3 mM – hence below and above the cmc of the surfactant (1.0 mM). The amount of DNA that precipitated depended upon the concentration of surfactant: at concentrations of surfactant above its cmc, all of the DNA was removed from solution; at concentrations below the cmc, some DNA precipitated but some DNA was still in solution. Thus, we began a systematic study into this phenomenon using circular dichroism (CD), UV/vis and conductivity studies. Solutions of different DNA oligomer sequences and surfactants were prepared to examine DNA sequence context and environmental effects leading to zero, partial precipitation or total precipitation of the DNA. A progress report of these studies will be presented.Item Gender Diversity in STEM(2022) Monds, Phili S.Over the years lots of organizations like Society of Women Engineers and WiMSE have popped up to create a safe space for women in STEM and work towards workplace equality and equity in their respective fields. Recently these groups have been expanding to include non-binary people as well. This idea is wonderful, but their messaging is less than desirable. The most common phrase these organizations use is “Women and Non-binary People in STEM.” These companies are placing women and non-binary people together and ignoring how non-binary people understand themselves. This also makes it unclear if masculine presenting non-binary people or transgender men would be welcome in these spaces, even though all of these groups are similarly disadvantaged on the basis of misogyny. We are here to highlight these issues as well as present solutions to them.Item A Qualitative and Quantitative Flavor Profile Comparison between Premium vs. Low-Quality Coffee Brews(2022) Routray, Jyotishree; Du, XiaofenPeople appreciate coffee for its enjoyable sensory quality, including aroma, taste, and mouthfeel. This study aimed to compare the flavor profile between a premium and low-quality coffee brew. Approximately 150 aroma volatiles were identified using SPME-GC- MS, and the premium quality coffee brew consisted of a higher concentration of volatiles. Premium quality coffee also had a higher °Brix & Total Dissolved Solids (1.2% & 1.02%) than low quality (0.8% & 0.68%), whereas TA was observed to be higher for low-quality (0.28g/L) than premium (0.17g/L). In contrast, HPLC-UV resulted in a significantly higher nucleotide content (umami taste) such as IMP, GMP, AMP, and CMP in low-quality coffee except for 5'UMP. Mouthfeel related compounds such as total protein was higher in premium, while total lipids and total polyphenols were higher in the low- quality brew. This study contributes significantly to understanding coffee’s flavor (aroma, mouthfeel, acidity, flavors, or aftertaste). (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Xiaofen Du)Item The Efficacy & Safety of Activated Charcoal for Tooth Whitening: A Systematic Review(2022) Rodriguez, ErnestoThere has been an influx of home-use products on the market to whiten teeth, including products using activated charcoal that are available in the form of pastes, brushing powders, and charcoal-infused toothbrushes. With so many of these activated charcoal products available, it is important to understand both the safety and effectiveness of these products. A systematic review was conducted to assess the current evidence on the safety and effectiveness of activated charcoal in dental applications. This systematic review found that the current evidence does not support the effectiveness of activated charcoal for whitening teeth. Furthermore, the use of activated charcoal may thin the tooth enamel, which can result in increased tooth sensitivity and teeth that appear more yellow.Item Repetitive Injuries in Brain Trauma(2022) Tho, Vu; Romo Mercado, Nohemi; Lybrand, Zane R.Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is caused by an outside force that damages brain tissues and is often a result of sports injury or car accidents. Repeated blows to the head or multiple concussions happen frequently but the outcome over a prolonged period is not been well understood. When repeated injuries are involved, even a mild TBI can lead to the risk of cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases. In this project, stem cells are used to grow brain organoids, which can resemble specific human brain regions. To test the effects of repeated injury on neural tissue, we use high pressure frequency waves (250kPa to 500 Hz, 3000 Hz and 5000 Hz respectively) to blast 4 different groups of organoids, fix them after 2 days and compare the cellular pathology. We will measure pathological changes in cell death and astrogliosis to determine a threshold of repetitive injury that compounds brain trauma.Item Overview of the Surface Adsorption of Common Dyestuffs Used in the Textile Industry onto Granulated “Green” Materials(2022) Vallelian, Laura; Salazar, Gustavo A.The contamination of water sources via the release of chemical dyestuffs used in textile manufacturing has become a source of concern for environmental scientists in recent years. Furthermore, the accumulation of heavy metals and organic compounds used in the dying process present adverse effects towards natural biodiversity (plant, aquatic, and marine life), as well as negative effects on human health. Attempts to remediate and further prevent these contaminants from polluting public waterways using adsorption-based removal processes are currently in place. However, those processes typically use expensive and/or ecologically unfriendly settings. Thus, the search for “greener” adsorbents, such as crushed eggshells, is of paramount importance.Item Quantifying the Detection Limit of Volatile Organic Compounds by Luminescence Using Trinuclear Silver(I) and Copper(I) Pyrazolate(2022) Hitt, Britney; McNeill, Alice; Beatty, John; Rawashdeh-Omary, ManalTrinuclear silver(I) and copper(I) pyrozolates have the ability to switch- on luminescence in the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, and switch off in the absence of VOCs. These compounds exhibit the potential for use as VOC detectors in industrial settings where high VOC levels are unsafe for workers, and improving the output of organic light emitting diodes. Trinuclear silver(I) and copper(I) pyrazole complexes have been prepared using solvent mediated, air free schlenk technique under different solvents and a green synthetic route involving mechanical grinding. In depth photoluminescence will be studied using a PTI QuantaMaster 30 Spectrofluorometer with a Kin-Tek gas flow generator attached to observe the response of 1 - 10 ppm of benzene exposure while under room temperature and liquid nitrogen.Item Repurposing Ketamine for Mental Illness(2022) Jordan, Alaina; Justice, Payton; Seck, RyannAnxiety, PTSD, and depression affect millions of people around the world, but often the treatments for these mental disorders are ineffective for many people. Progressive medicinal research has repurposed ketamine from an anesthetic to a psychotropic medication to help treat these mental disorders. Used with general anesthesia, ketamine is an FDA approved sedative for many major procedures, as it targets a different part of the brain than other anesthetics or narcotics. In conjunction with anxiolytics, ketamine uses slight psychodysleptic, hallucinogenic and dissociative properties to differentiate its effectiveness in treating mental disorders; without the use of anxiolytics, even a small dose of ketamine can cause intense hallucinogenic episodes, which in some patients, can worsen their PTSD, rather than help treat issues. Despite a few concerns, continuous research being done over the effects of ketamine show to have long lasting positive effects.Item Alleviating ESL FYC students' Writing Anxiety (Writer’s Block) through Exploring and Teaching Rhetorical Criticism with Narrative Perspective on Theresa Hak Kyung Cha’s Dictee and Daehyun Won’s Raindrops(2022) Won, Daehyun (DH)The majority of first-year composition students commonly experience writing anxiety (i.e., writer's block) that greatly hinders teachers' effective teaching and students' confident learning which are essential for expressing creative and critical thoughts on a white page. In particular, for an English as a Second Language (ESL) student, due to their unique situations, being set between their own language-based cultural communications and the English-based rhetorical conventions, writing anxiety is weightier. The anxiety causes ESL students’ dreadful learning obstacles when composing their western culture-based rhetorical assignments. Due to the fact that writing anxiety is a matter of psychological, linguistic, cultural, and even social system issues, instead of relying on grammatical knowledge, academic genres, and strict grade scorings, FYC teachers can pedagogically facilitate multicultural, multidimensional, and multimodal narratives and their storytelling methods, in learning such as Cha’s Dictee and Won’s Raindrops, to inspire unconstrained-thinking processes with creative writing skills.Item Perceptions of Black Pregnant Women on Birth Center and Midwifery Care(2022) Anyiam, Shalom; Woo, JenniferThe purpose of this literature review is to summarize Black women’s experiences and perceptions of midwifery care. Black pregnant women in the United States are at an increased risk for poorer birth outcomes such as higher preterm birth rates and have the highest maternal mortality rates of all other racial/ethnic groups. Adverse maternal outcomes for Black pregnant women stem from health inequities related to access to quality care and structural racism in the healthcare system. Numerous studies comparing maternal outcomes associated with the midwifery model of care to those of conventional maternity care highlight improvement and decrease in adverse outcomes for socially at-risk communities, specifically Black women. Black women report interest in utilizing midwives as maternal care providers due to the person-centered approach associated with the midwifery model of care. The literature reflects the need for more research related to access to midwifery care for Black women.Item Fierce Solitude(2022) Stewart, Deyjah; Synar, TanyaThe idea of solitude is usually known as nonsocial. However, it does not contradict social engagement but deepens it. Currently in progress for the Student Scholars Program, my creative project explores a reconceptualization of solitude connecting to themes of family, memory, childhood, home, and the self. By researching various historical and contemporary interpretations as foundational tools informing my work, I came back to the familial space of the house. Sewing and knitting nightgowns and slippers and then hanging them on a clothesline tell the story of my household's significant female figures- grandmother, mother, and daughter. I draw upon new experiences with solitude in this space with a knitted blanket where patches of sewn muslin signify the places I’ve lived and the beaded words narrate feelings of home. Connecting to my black multicultural identity, I deepen my self- awareness and connection to the outside world by claiming my space in solitude. (Faculty Sponsor: Ms. Tanya Synar)