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Welcome to the 11th Annual Scientific Research Poster Session
Sponsored by
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You may want to browse the author or discipline list in the 1999 Poster Session Home Page to find the abstract number.
See the Poster Location Map to find its location by number.
Kenosha Clark, Department of Physics & Astronomy
Merocyanine 540 is a dye that has been used experimentally in photodynamic therapy for treatment of leukemia and bone marrow transplants. Merocyanine 540 localizes in leukemia cells, and in the presence of visible light, kills the cells in a photochemical reaction. During this process, oxygen is consumed; therefore oxygen concentration could be an indicator of the amount of cells being destroyed. The objective of my experiment was to determine whether the amount of oxygen consumption is dependent upon the cell concentration. I used cultured mouse leukemia cells, a dissolved oxygen meter, and a KTP (green) laser. I graphed oxygen concentration against time. Preliminary data suggests a linear relationship between the amount of oxygen consumed and time.
Nicole Scheman, Department of Geology
In the past century Taal Volcano, Philippines has exhibited two major eruptions killing over 1,500 people from towns and villages surrounding Lake Taal, in the Batangas Province on Luzon. Ash fall cover and landslides pose a disastrous threat to today's circumnavigating 76,000 inhabitants in the highest risk areas, for which a poor road network is a singular means of evacuation. Additionally, the heavy ash fall Taal produced in the past has the potential to reach up to 60 miles north of the Volcano, affecting densely populated Manila. Using satellite imagery, topographic data, road maps, and geochemical data, I will develop a hazard zonation map to assess low to high risk areas within the Taal caldera and outside, where most of the population resides.
David N. Sattler, Charles F. Kaiser, Mary Beth Porter, Andrew Preston, Department of Psychology
Natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes can create extraordinary stresses on the individual, family, and community. On September 27, 1998, Hurricane Georges, a category 3 storm, struck the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. It destroyed homes and businesses and created island-wide power outages and water shortages. Four weeks after the hurricane, 54 employees of the Puerto Rico Telephone Company completed a questionnaire asking about loss of resources, stress, and family functioning. All participants had lost their homes. Acute stress disorder was positively associated with initial arousal reaction, resource loss, and depression. Social Support and hardiness were negatively associated with depression, but were not associated with acute stress disorder. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Jennifer A. Townes and Kristin D. Krantzman, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, 29424 and Barbara J. Garrison, Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) can be used to identify nonvolatile, high molecular weight solids on surfaces. Previous experiments have demonstrated that SF5+ as the primary ion produces a higher yield and a higher yield-to-damage ratio than Xe+. We have performed molecular dynamics simulations in order to understand the effect of cluster projectiles. Our model systems contained a monolayer of biphenyl molecules adsorbated on two different substrates: Cu(001) and Si(100). The increase in yield with SF5 compared to Xe is twice as much for the Si(100 substrate than for the Cu(001) substrate. Our results show that the structure of the lattice is the critical factor for the effective use of polyatomic projectiles. The breakup of the SF5 cluster within the more open lattice of the Si(100) substrate initiates collision cascades that lead to substrate atoms hitting the biphenyl molecules from below, which results in a greater yield of ejected molecules.
Anna K. White and Kristin D. Krantzman, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, 29424 and Barbara J. Garrison, Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry has been used to identify nonvolatile, high molecular weight compounds that cannot be analyzed by any other means. For example, it can be used to characterize and quantitate contaminants on environmental surfaces such as pesticides on leaves. Experimentalists have been examining the ability of clusters as projectiles to improve the sensitivity of secondary ion yields in SIMS. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to view what happened when the projectiles bombarded the surface crystal. We studied two crystals, one made of copper atoms (63Cu) and one made of atoms with the size of copper but the mass of carbon (12Cu). The 12Cu(100) substrate was used to mimic an organic solid because experiments have shown that clusters produce the greatest enhancement on bulk organic solids. Our results demonstrate that clusters increase the yield to damage ratio, and therefore, show promise in increasing the sensitivity of SIMS.
Christopher D. Hornsby and H. Donato, Jr. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Sol-Gel technology refers to the construction of optically transparent, porous gels, from solutions containing water, tetramethylorthosilicate (TMOS), and either acid or base. A biological sensor, constructed with this technology, would entrap,in the gel pores, a large biomolecule that specifically binds a small molecule analyte. Ideally, the biomolecule trapped in the gel would not leach out, would exhibit full biological activity and enhanced stability, and still be able to interact with the analyte whose diffusion into the gel is barely restricted. Our experiments have focused on the feasibility of various steps in this process. After investigating the conditions necessary to form a gel, we sought strategies that minimize the involvement of acid and/or alcohol in the gel forming process since their presence is not generally compatible with biological activity. Experiments are described and representative gels are presented.
Katie Atkinson and R.K. Rao, College of Charleston and Medical University of South Carolina
Increased intestinal permeability and elevated plasma endotoxin play an important role in alcoholic liver disease. We showed that acetaldehyde, the metabolic product of ethanol in intestine, increases paracellular permeability of Caco-2 cell monolayers. The role of protein tyrosine phosphorylation in the mechanism of acetaldehyde-induced increase in permeability was investigated. Caco-2 cell monolayers were exposed to vapor phase acetaldehyde, with or without a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein. Paracellular permeability was analysed by measuring transepithelial electrical resistance and unidirectional flux of 3H-mannitol. Protein tyrsoine phosphorylation was determined by Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Tyrosine kinase and protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) activities were measured to determine regulation of these enzymes by acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde decreased TER and increased mannitol flux. Acetaldehyde-induced permeability was inhibited by genistein. Acetaldehyde increased tyrosine phosphorylation of 55-220 kDa proteins, mainly at the intercellular junctions. PTPase activity in plasma membrane and soluble fractions of acetaldehyde-treated cells was lower than controls; tyrosine kinase activity was unaffected. PTPase activity was also reduced when membrane and soluble fractions were incubated with acetaldehyde in vitro. These results indicate that acetaldehyde disrupts paracellular junctions by a mechanism involving inhibition of PTPase and increased protein tyrosine phosphorylation.
Julie M. Cox, Department of Biochemistry
Recent studies have shown that leptin binds to its receptor in the hypothalamus and increases sympathetic nervous system outflow to target organs such as adipose tissue. The release of norepinephrine from sympathetic nerve terminals produces its effects by binding to adrenergic receptors and modulating cAMP within the adipocyte. Adipose tissue is unique in that it expresses a third subtype of b-adrenergic receptor called the b3-AR, and the b3-AR is present in large stoichiometric excess over b1- and b2-subtypes. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that stimulation of the b3-ARs mediates leptin-induced changes in gene expression within the adipocyte. Two specific aims will be addressed: whether the absence of b3-ARs blocks leptin-mediated induction of UCP1 mRNA in brown adipose tissue, and whether the absence of b3-ARs blocks leptin-mediated down-regulation of its own message.
Erin E. Glenn, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
MC 540 is a photosensitizing dye that is being investigated in its use in photodynamic purging of leukemia, lyphoma and neuroblastoma in bone marrow explants. The purpose of this experiment is to determine the mechanism of MC 540 uptake in leukemia cells so that it can be used to optimize selectivity of MC 540. This would aid in ensuring that the maximum number of tumor cells can be purged while the maximum number of normal bone marrow cells can be saved. The hypothesis of this project is that the action spectrum will resemble the absorption spectrum of the dye. The absorption spectrum is obtained by shining visible light onto cells exposed to dye. In addition to the absorption spectrum, the oxygen consumption is taken while exposing light to the cells to determine if it the process of purging the cells fascilitates the use of oxygen.
Margaret H. Andrews, Ralph Erik DeSimone, Julie E. Haselden, Shadrian Holmes, Department of Physics & Astronomy
In 1996 an analysis of Hipparcos observations revealed that the star HD 32456 was a Cepheid variable with a period of 3.29 days which was later refined to 3.2942 days by photometry. The light curves show relatively small scatter indicating that this is a singly periodic Cepheid. However, since approximately 10% of Cepheids with periods less than 5 days are double mode and there are only 15 double mode Cepheids known it seems important to verify this. We began observing this star with the Four College Consortium Automatic Photometric Telescope to investigate the possible presence of a secondary period. During the 1998 observing season we obtained several hundred observations of this star spread over one hundred days. Our hypothesis is that our analysis of these observations will reveal that it is a double mode star. In this presentation we will reveal the results of our analysis.
Courtney Forester and Dr. Arch McCallum, Department of Biology
The ability to survey bird populations easily is very useful for biodiversity studies and general knowledge. It is more efficient to sample birds using their vocalizations rather than sightings. But, the ability to identify birds by their calls takes years to develop. Recordings and real-time spectrograms can make this type of sampling more available to people who lack years of experience. We tested this procedure with weekly recordings at Dixie Plantation during Spring semester of 1999. Analog audio tapes were digitized with real-time spectrogram software. Once digitized, the various calls were identified, dated, and mapped; any other useful information was noted. These data contribute to the department-wide accessment of the biodiversity at Dixie Plantation that has been funded by the National Science Foundation. We identified over 20 different bird species and mapped all their locations, which included about 400 data points. The maps made help to show the biodiversity at Dixie Plantation.
Kelly Geyer and Gary Harrison, Department of Mathematics
In a mathematical model for an epidemic in an isolated population, an epidemic will occur for some ranges of the parameter values, but if these conditions are not met, the epidemic will not transpire. When two populations that are not experiencing an epidemic are brought into contact with each other, can the interaction cause an outbreak of the disease? Conditions are determined for the parameters such that the disease will die out when the two populations are isolated, but an epidemic will occur when they are brought into contact for a finite period of time.
Electra Bradshaw, Steve Kubalak, and Carol Eisenberg, College of Charleston and Medical University of South Carolina
After a heart attack, a natural healing process occurs in which the injured portion of the heart is replaced by scar tissue. Unfortunately, the damaged part of the heart cannot function properly and long-term survival of the patient is at risk. Replacing the damaged area with stem cell grafts could restore proper function of the patient's heart. This would greatly reduce the immediate need for heart transplant surgery. Although adult heart cells are unable to be used as a source of graftable cells, previous studies show that fetal heart cells have the potential to replace damaged adult tissue. Using both mice and birds, we are examining whether bone marrow stem cells can be converted into heart cells.
Keith C. Carver, Department of Biology
The threat of microbial disease is of paramount concern in modern medicine. This library-based independent study was largely an attempt to review currently accepted models and proposed hypotheses in the pathogenesis of bacteria and viruses. Aspects of clinical bacteriology addressed include clinical disease manifestations, pathogenesis and the onset of disease, epidemiological issues, and conrol and prevention of bacterial infections. Bacteria focused on include Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium tetani, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Escherichia coli. Discussed in the clinical virology section are topics such as clinical manifestations of viral disease, malignant transformation and the oncogenic potential of viruses, and the control and prevention of viral infections. Viruses of particular interest include varicella-zoster virus, Epstein-Barr virus, adenovirus, and human immunodeficiency virus. Included also within this study is an overview of the interspecific relationships, such as predation, competition, and mutualism, between pathogenic, opportunistic, and zoonotic microbes and human hosts.
Loretta L. Stewart, Department of Biology
Deep-sea biodiversity may be a function of population isolation, however, directly observing dispersal patterns of benthic organisms is difficult given current technology. One alternative is using genes as genetic markers to compare organisms sampled from deep-sea regions where geographic barriers to gene flow may exist. An appropriate location for such sampling is the seamounts and slopes surrounding the Hawaiian Islands. The structure of the water column and distance between the seamounts may make this region an optimal environment for allopatric speciation to occur.
In this study, DNA was extracted from octocoral specimens sampled from one Hawaiian seamount and four island slopes. A 1300bp portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene was PCR amplified and sequenced. DNA variation in this gene fragment was used to determine if the octocoral populations are genetically continuous across the sampling sites. Early results show no variation in this gene portion for the sequenced samples.
Jason K. Vohs and Rodney D. Schluter, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Triphenylphosphine is an important ligand in the study of transition metal complexes. It binds tightly forming stable compounds and its presence can be detected using 31P NMR spectroscopy. With the addition of pendant arms that have an amine functionality, we have synthesized an organophosphorus ligand capable of tetradentate coordination. This compound has been characterized using melting points, 1H, 13C & 31P NMR and X-ray crystallographic techniques. The coordination of this ligand to a variety of metal carbonyl complexes has been studied using NMR spectroscopy.
Leigh Watrobski and Dr. Hillenius, Department of Biology
Steven Vettese and Leslie R. Sautter, Department of Geology
This study examined the development and implementation of a computer based tutorial into an entry-level geology course. Using software developed by J.H.Reynolds, a computerized study aide was created for Dr. Leslie Sautter's GEOL 102 course during the spring semester of 1999. The tutorial was a combination of my original questions and illustrations derived from texts, overheads and other course related materials. The tutorial was posted on the Internet and was accessible by any computer that has access to the web. A group of students from the class volunteered to use the tutorial before in-class examinations as part of their study preparation. Test results of this volunteer group were recorded, and the data were compared to those students who did not volunteer, and against the class as a whole. The results indicated that the volunteer group scored up 10 percentage points higher on tutorial-related exam questions, and did significantly better on the whole tests.
Alicia Miller
People have been living with the concept of nuclear energy for over 50 years but it is still the least understood of the modern technologies. Nuclear energy has been demonized inspite of the fact that there is scarcely a portion of modern life that does not involve a small amount of ionizing radiation. Aspects of modern life such as smoking, Fiestaware, and video monitors were examined for the level of exposure they provide. For my project I compared the average North American annual dose and those experienced in other geographical locations with the levels necessary for biological damage. The relative risk of average annual dose was compared with other aspects of modern life and their risk.
Elizabeth A. Rucks, Department of Biology, and Joan C. Olson and Timothy S. Vincent, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; Medical University of South Carolina
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen, capable of producing many secreted factors that contribute to its virulence. One factor, exoenzyme S [ExoS], is an ADP-ribosyltransferase, delivered to the target cell by way of a contact dependent type III secretory pathway. Exposure of epithelial cells to ExoS producing bacteria has identified the cell signaling protein Ras as an in vivo substrate of ExoS. These studies have linked ExoS production to a decrease in epithelial cell DNA synthesis, cell rounding, loss of adherence, and cellular necrosis and apoptosis. This study examines the effects of ExoS producing bacteria on promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cell line. The HL-60 cells differ phenotypically and functionally from previously studied cell lines cultured with ExoS. When exposed to ExoS producing bacteria, HL-60 cells were resistant to the effects of ExoS on DNA synthesis which correlated with minimal Ras modification. These studies suggest that leukocytes can evade the type III secretory pathway.
Tariq A. Aziz, Waleed O. Twal, Ph.D., and W. Scott Argraves, Ph.D. Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
The extracellular matrix (ECM) of cells is a three dimensional network of proteins and polysaccharides which plays an active role in cellular growth and development, proliferation, and metabolic functions. Fibulin-1 (Fb-1) is an ECM protein whose expression in development is associated with sites of cell migration. We therefore were interested in investigating whether it could function to regulate cell migration. To accomplish this, we used in vitro transwell migration, adhesion, and cell spreading assays. As a result, we found that Fb-1 binding to the ECM protein fibronectin (FN) acts to sterically reduce binding of the FN binding receptor-integrin a5b1. In addition, the regulatory effect was cells specific; migration of tumor cells was inhibited whereas there was no effect on the migration of primary cell lines such as human fibroblasts and endothelial cells. Further experiments will focus on understanding the molecular mechanism by which Fb-1 regulates cell motility.
Dina McMahon and Dr. Jake Halford, Department of Physics and Astronomy
How effective is teaching the basics of digital systems by using demonstrations in the classroom? We all know that teaching by using demonstrations is more effective then teaching by lecture alone, but how much does it really enhance learning and students attitude toward learning? These are questions that I am taking to high school science classrooms to find answers. As we move into the twenty-first it is increasingly important that students are taught science and technology in an interesting, understandable way, which good classroom demonstrations do. Measuring the difference in learning and comprehension of material will show the extent and importance of teaching using demonstrations.
Shannon L. Studer-Martinez and Charles F. Beam, Kelly L. Rose, Deborah A. Schady, Wayne Kelley, Ronjay Rakkhit, Christopher D. Hornsby, April J. Angel, Anne E. Finefrock, Angela R. Williams, Jessica D. Townsend, Thuy-Ha V. Nguyen, Douglas R. Hurst, Frederick J. Heldrich, and Ibraheem T. Badejo, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Dilithiated 1-tetralone oxime was prepared in excess lithium diisopropylamide and condensed with a variety of esters followed by acid cyclization of C-acylated intermediates to substituted 4,5-dihydronaphth-[1,2-c]isoxazoles. Also, dilithiated 1-tetralone carbomethoxyhydrazone or carbo-tert-butoxyhydrazone were prepared in excess lithium diisopropylamide and condensed with a variety of esters followed by acid cyclization of C-acylated intermediates to substituted 4,5-dihydro-2H-benz[g]indazoles. In addition, the phenylhydrazone of 2-tetralone was dilithiated with excess lithium diisopropylamide followed by condensation with several aromatic esters, and the resulting intermediates were acid cyclized to 4,5-dihydro-2H-benz[e]indazoles.
Each of the three projects is an unequivocal synthesis of the multi-gram quantities of desired heterocyclic products that can be purified by simple recrystallization from routine solvents. They would be difficult to prepare by traditional or other contemporary procedures, and isoxazoles and pyrazoles of all types are well documented for their synthetic and biological potential, especially in agriculture.
Shannon L. Studer-Martinez, Charles F. Beam, Jessica D. Townsend, Angela R. Williams, April J. Angel, Anne E. Finefrock, Kristen L. French, Douglas R. Hurst, and Mary E. Rampey, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Dilithiated 2-indanone was prepared from 2-indanone with excess lithium diisopropylamide, and the resulting dianion-type intermediate was condensed with several lithiated methyl salicylates or lithiated methyl thiosalicylate. The C-acylated intermediates were not isolated, and they were acid cyclized to benz[b]indeno[1,2-e]pyran-11(6H)-ones or benz[b]indeno-[1,2-e]thiopyran-11(6H)-one, which are lesser known fused-ring indeno-chromones or a new indeno-thiochromone. This is the first report of indeno-thiochromones of this fused-ring type. Also, acetoacetanilide and substituted acetoacetanilides were trilithiated in excess lithium diisopropylamide, and the polylithiated intermediates were regioselectively condensed with lithiated methyl thiosalicylate, followed by acid cyclization to afford substituted N-aryl-4-oxo-4H-1-benzothiopyran-2-acetamides [thiochromone-2-acetamides].
Shannon L. Studer-Martinez, Charles F. Beam, Angela R. Williams, April J. Angel, Kristen L. French, Jessica D. Townsend, Kelly L. Rose, Wayne Kelley, Douglas R. Hurst, and Deborah A. Schady, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
C(a),O-Oximes were dilithiated in excess lithium diisopropylamide, and the resulting intermediates were condensed with lithiated hydroxyphenyl aldehydes and related materials and cyclized with acid to afford 2-[4,5-dihydro-3-aryl-5-isoxazolyl]phenols, substituted 4,5-dihydroisoxazoles (2-isoxazolines). Also, several dilithiated C(a),O-oximes were prepared in lithium diisopropylamide and condensed with (E)-1,3-diphenyl-2-propen-1-one (trans-chalcone) followed by acid cyclization to variously substituted 4,5-dihydro-5-phenyl-5-(2-phenyl-ethenyl)isoxazoles (2-isoxazolines).
Shannon L. Studer-Martinez, Charles F. Beam, Mary E. Rampey, Carrie E. Halkyard, Angela R. Williams, April J. Angel, Douglas R. Hurst, Anne E. Finefrock, Aseem Sood, and Jessica D. Townsend, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
The carbomethoxyhydrazone of 2'-hydroxyacetophenone was trilithiated with excess lithium diisopropylamide and C-acylated with a variety of benzoate esters followed by acid cyclization of the intermediates to specialty hydroxyaryl-pyrazoles. The products were characterized by FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, UV-VIS, absorption, and fluorescence. All derivatives in n-heptane have an absorption maximum at 304 nm and an extremely weak (f =10-4) fluorescence with maxima in the range of 335 to 460 nm. The broad range of fluorescence maxima and fluorescence quantum yields is attributed to varying contributions of charge transfer which is dependent on both the identity of the substituent and solvent polarity. A phenomenally large Stokes shifted fluorescence maximum at 620 nm was observed for hydroxyaryl-pyrazole, 2-(1-carbomethoxy-5-(4-dimethyl-aminophenyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)phenol, in n-heptane and attributed to excited state intramolecular proton transfer. As a result, competitive excited state proton/charge transfer properties have been observed in the pyrazoles studied, of which the spectral properties can be fine tuned by substituent, as well as solvent effects.
Also, the oximes of 2'-hydroxyacetophenone, 2'-hydroxypropiophenone, 1'-hydroxy-2-acetonaphthone, or 2'-hydroxy-3-phenylpropiophenone were trilithiated with excess lithium diisopropylamide, and the resulting trianion-type intermediates were condensed with a variety of aromatic esters followed by acid cyclization to substituted hydroxyaryl-isoxazoles. The new compounds were characterized by absorption spectra, and the potential of these compounds to undergo excited state intramolecular proton transfer was investigated. In addition, 2'-hydroxyaceto-phenone phenylhydrazone was trilithiated with excess lithium diisopropylamide, and the resulting trianion-type intermediate was condensed with a variety of aromatic esters followed by acid cyclization to additional hydroxyaryl-pyrazoles.
Nicole Gerringer and Leslie Sautter, Department of Geology
Foraminifera are microscopic, single celled, planktonic organisms which are distributed throughout the world's oceans. They secrete a calcium carbonate test, which sinks to the sea floor, after the organism dies, and becomes part of the sea floor sediment. In 1996, a sedimnet trap was deployed off the coast of Charleston, Sc, beneath the Gulf Stram. The sediment traps contained 21 cups that rotated every 17 days, and collected the flux of foraminifera tests. The objective of this study is to analyze the morphology of one species, Globigerinoides sacculifer, that was obtained from the traps. Seasonal variation on the formation and growth of the specimens' test, including the final chamber morphology, was determined. Data and results will be presented.
Starr Richardson, Department of Geology
Mount Rainier, Washington is a Decade Volcano which is closely monitored by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI). The volcano demonstrates signs of magma movement indicated by shallow earthquakes directly below the summit. These earthquakes, along with the melting of snow and glaciers, can result in lahars, or volcanic mudflows. In the past 5000 years, there have been dozens of lahars travelling down the slopes of Mount Rainier. The former paths of the mudflows now underlie the homes of about 100,000 people. Lahars pose the greatest threat to the Tacoma and Puget Sound area. Because of its proximity to a large number of people and potential for activity, Mount Rainier was chosen for this study. I have isolated particular hazardous areas by studying the combined effects of topography, rock failure susceptibility, roads, population density, and past lahar activity. The results will be presented as hazards maps.
Jennifer Guelfo, John Pennington, Erik Vanderhorst, Scott Bruemmer, Andrea Shrader, Dr. Cassandra Coombs, and Dr. Steven Stearns, Department of Geology
Katherine Gurley and Christopher Abate, Department of Geology
South Carolina's ACE Basin is under developmental pressure, making the state's coastal managers concerned with protecting these valuable resources. A computer simulation of the Ashepoo River in the Basin is being developed at the University of Charleston for testing management alternatives prior to implementation. The HSPF model is integrated with the EPA's GIS-based watershed analysis tool BASINS and is capable of computing runoff and pollutant loadings. In HSPF geometric attributes of individual stream reach segments are used to calculate discharge values for thirteen reaches in ten subwatersheds. Critical measurements include segment length, gradient, bank-full width and depth, and floodplain width. Along with land surface attributes, non-point pollutant loads washed into the reach segments are calculated and real-time downstream transport is then simulated. Water quality changes throughout the basin are represented at each subwatershed's outlet. The current results are preliminary because a number of input parameters remain undefined for the Ashepoo.
B. Andrew Game [1,2], Enrique A. Roig, MD [2], Virgil D. Alfaro III, MD [2], Lucy M. Yarbrough, BS [2], Lowrey King, MD [2], and David J. Apple, MD [2], [1] Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Charleston, [2] Hanna Retina Research Center, Storm Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of South Carolina
Macular translocation is an experimental surgical technique for the treatment of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). AMD is the leading cause of blindness in individual over the age of 65. Macular translocation surgeries are performed in only four clinics worldwide. The purpose of this study is to report the histopathological findings in the retina of swine eyes that have undergone macular translocation. Minimal changes in the photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium are observed when macular translocations are performed. The major findings consist of a minimal decrease in the number of photoreceptors and morphological changes in the outer segments of the retina. These changes included some loss in the vertical alignment of the retina and an increase in the interphotoreceptor space. Over time, recovery of the morphological changes was noted. Scleral imbrication is an effective technique to achieve translocation of the macula.
Jennifer Bragiel, Department of Biology
Amy J. Houck and Dr. Linda Jones, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves the interaction of light, dye, and oxygen. Some research groups have been investigating the possibility of measuring oxygen in the tumor that is being treated to determine the progress of the treatment. We are interested in investigating the consumption of oxygen during PDT in a culture cell suspension (outside of the body). These conditions are similar to photodynamic bone marrow purging which is used experimentally for leukemia. After a quantitative study, we have found evidence indicating that oxygen consumption can be used as a measure of the number of cells killed.
Kathleen Mueller and Allan Strand, Department of Biology
Small and isolated plant populations are often inbred. Decreased heterozygosity is a common result of inbreeding. Historically isolated populations have been exposed to inbreeding for long periods of time, but may lower levels of inbreeding depression. Therefore the fitness of the species is maintained at a viable level. The destruction of natural plant habitats through development and climate change reduces population sizes and increases self-fertilization. We have attempted to determine the outcrossing/selfing rates of Aquilesia populations inhabiting xeric regions of the southwest U.S. and Mexico to study the effect of inbreeding depression and population size on plant fitness. We used PCR and DGGE to isolate and determine sequence variation of a 220bp intron of chalcone synthase from small and large populations. PCR optimizations and DGGE were performed. Our techniques methods were perfected to provide reasonable levels of amplification and accurate analysis of the DNA fragment sequence.
Michael Atwood, Kelly Hartley, Raimondo Buhler, Salis Ballah, Royal Nguyen, and Dr. Christopher Starr, Department of Computer Science
At present, many people in the computer world are looking towards ways of computing that allow the user to selectively view information from a database in a format of their choice via the web. This is known as dynamic computing. SIS-web is a web-interfaced legacy database system designed to meet the needs of today's colleges and universities that are still using text-based systems. By giving the user the tools to do their own requests, resources that use to be allocated to creating pre-selected reports can now be freed up for other duties. SIS-web allows the user to have more control over the information they are retrieving, has a graphical easy-to-use interface, and has faster retrieval than the text-based system. This platform-independent legacy system represents a turning point in computer technology.
Tai Nguyen and K. D. Krantzman, College of Charleston, Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina 29424-001 and B. J. Garrison, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
There has been considerable interest in the use of polyatomic projectiles in organic SIMS, which experiments have shown to increase the secondary ion yield by an order of magnitude or more. Particular attention has been given to SF5+ because it has recently become available as an ion source. Molecular dynamics simulations with Xe+ and SF5+ projectiles, which have the same mass, have been performed in order to determine the effect of the number of atoms in the projectile. The model systems consist of a monolayer of biphenyl molecules on two different substrates: Cu(001) and Si(100). The yield and yield-to-damage ratio is greatest using the SF5+ projectile on the Si(100) substrate, showing that the substrate is an important factor for the effectiveness of polyatomic projectiles.
LeeAnne Sears, Department of Geology
David Murfin and Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Julia sets have been described at the frontier between mathematics and art. There are many situations both in nature (for example, the coastline of a country) and within mathematical description that have the property of appearing the same under magnification. These so-called self-similar patterns are so complicated as be described as have a non-integer dimension, for example "1.29 dimension". Such systems with fractional dimensions are called fractals. Julia fractals are imagined systems created through an iteration process being applied to a relatively simple mathematical relationship in the complex plane. The resulting structure is a set of fractals of amazing beauty. These structure can be made visible by plotting the iteration results using a computer. The art involved with the creation of fractals is accomplished by applying different colors to the iteration results. This poster will show how the Julia fractals are made and will show several sets illustrating their beauty.
Amy Kirincich, Claire Chandler, Stephanie Dellis, Craig Downs, and Scott Heckathorn, Department of Biology
All organisms from bacteria to plants and animals produce heat-shock proteins in response to most stresses. The chloroplast-localized small heat shock protein (sHsp) of plants protects photosynthetic electron transport during heat, high light, and oxidation stress. Our long-term goal is to determine if different amounts or types of chloroplast sHsp are produced in heat-sensitive Northern-vs-heat-tolerant Southern populations of Chenopodium album (Lambs Quarters). Initially, we isolated whole DNA from Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco) and used Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to amplify a segment of its known chloroplast sHsp gene. This segment will be used as a probe to identify the homologous gene in C. album. The probe will then be used to determine if C. album populations differ in the number and structure of chloroplast sHsp genes. We will investigate whether any genetic differences are related to variation in photosynthetic and whole-plant heat tolerance in different climates.
Kevin R. Vandervort and Michael P. Katuna, Department of Geology
This study involves the lithostratigraphic interpretation of Lower Coastal Plain geologic formations based upon the analysis of well cuttings. Sediment samples (10 foot intervals) were obtained from a 2498-foot deep water well recently drilled on Kiawah Island. Sedimentological analysis consisted of determining relative abundance, textural variability and composition of the sand fraction for selected samples. Resistivity and gamma ray geophysical logs were used to define stratal boundaries based upon occurrence and recognition of unconformable contacts. A lithostratigraphic section for the well was developed, and correlated with existing well data to develop a geological cross section for the region.
This research will be integrated as a part of the South Carolina Erosion Study (Phase I) which is sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey and the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium. The purpose of this investigation it to learn more about the Tertiary and Cretaceous stratigraphy of the Lower Coastal Plain of South Carolina, and to better define the hydrostratigraphic units.
Jennifer Lockman, Department of Physics and Astronomy
For the purpose of finding the effect of stray radiation on neutral hydrogen observations, five regions were observed using the 140 ft radio telescope at Green Bank, WV in February 1999. These regions were chosen in order to discover how stray radiation contributes to data in different parts of the sky as well as to different types of objects. The regions observed were the North and South Galactic Poles, a newly-discovered possible supernova remnant, an arc which is really part of a shell of neutral hydrogen, and a long filament stretching out of the plane of the galaxy. I will discuss the results of the data analysis as well as the process of removing the stray radiation from the data. I will also present some background material concerning observational radio astrophysics.
Andrew Miller, Department of Physics and Astronomy
A new teaching technique known as Peer Education has been growing in popularity throughout the nation. The goal of this technique is to help students gain a greater understanding of the concepts they are studying through interaction with each other in a small group setting. For my research, I studied this technique through Dr. Jones 9:00 AM physics class. Dr. Jones would introduce a concept, and then follow-up with a short, multiple choice, conceptual question for the students. The students were first given a minute to answer the question on their own, then were paired in groups where they had to "convince their neighbor" that their answer was the correct one. My goal in this research is to find if this technique is in fact successful at helping the students to better understand the concepts they are learning and whether this technique translates into better test scores and retention of what is learned.
Emily Holder and Leslie Sautter, Department of Geology
The planktonic foraminiferal species analyzed in this study is Globorotalia truncatulinoides. When planktonic foraminifera die, the tests fall through the water column and may become incorporated as part the sediment supply on the ocean floor. Samples for this study were collected using a time-series sediment trap moored at latitude 32°N and longitude 76°W, at a depth of 900 meters beneath the Gulf Stream. Samples from two collection periods were used, from August, 1995 to January, 1996 and from March, 1996 to August 1996. The objectives of this study were to determine if correlations exist among the morphological characteristics of Globorotalia truncatulinoides (length, width, height, and keel width), and to determine if these morphologic characteristics vary with seasonal temperature. Data and results of these analyses will be presented.
Tara Lowry and Laney Mills, Department of Physics & Astronomy
In technical usage, the term chaos refers to completely determined, and thus ordered, behavior predicted by certain simple equations. The motion of such systems are most easily studied by plotting a graph in which each dynamical variable has an axis so that the time evolution is represented by a orbit in this "phase space". For chaotic systems this orbit, called an attractor, is of unbelievable complexity. It is even appropriate to extend the idea of dimension to such systems. Chaotic attractors have non-integer dimensions! Perhaps even more surprising is the fact that there is a technique allows one to reconstruct, from a single time series, the attractor of systems for which the equations are not even known. This paper will describe and illustrate this technique as applied to Tara's actual own EKG.
Shadrian Holmes and Laney Mills, Department of Physics & Astronomy
Chaos -- the existence of order in what appears to be disorder. As a branch of physics, chaos attempts to explain systems that disobey conventional standards. Chaotic systems are systems described by simple equations which are capable of a behavior so complicated as to appear random. This project is devoted to investigating the possible chaotic behavior of a bouncing ball on an oscillating platform. If such a ball is bounced at just the right height and at just the right rate, its motion will be a very regular bouncing as expected. However, it may be possible that there are combinations of bouncing amplitudes and frequencies for which the ball never settles into a regular motion. Such a regime would be called chaotic. The system is quite simple, yet the motion exceedingly complicated. The experiment described will be a numerical one in which the computer results will be animated in real time.
Aaron Whitney and Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
In 1963 Edward Lorenz of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology studied a simplified local weather system, namely that of convection (hot air rising) over a hot area of land. The result was the now-famous Lorenz equations. The hot air rises from the middle of an warm area, cools and then falls creating a continuous circular pattern. For certain values of the parameters for the equation, the system begins more complicated oscillations. With still other parameters the motion becomes so complicated that there is no steady pattern to characterize the motion. This apparently random, but actually ordered, motion resulting from quite simple equations is nowadays called chaos. In this model, known as the "chaos Ferris wheel," little leaky buckets arranged around a vertical wheel catch falling sand to model this convection. This model is computed numerically in a computer program and displayed as a real time animation.
Danielle Timmons and Laney Mills, Department of Physics & Astronomy
The area of investigation now known as chaos began in 1887 when King Oscar II of Sweden offered a prize to anyone who could tell if the solar system was stable or not. The great mathematician Henry Poincare' was able to determine that extremely complicated motions could result from the well-known Newton's equations applied to planets. Newton successfully predicted that the motion of the two bodies around their common center of mass (i.e. of one planet around the sun) was stable. The next more complicated case is known as the three body problem. Although one can show that three bodies are able to stay in equilibrium under very special conditions, more interesting patterns occur when the bodies do not create an equilibrium with one another. This poster will show a numerical animation of a solar system with a sun and two planets.
Michael Carnohan and Laney Mills, Department of Physics & Astronomy
Self-similarity is the concept of objects being made up of smaller ones which resemble the whole.Self-similarity in nature can be seen everywhere in objects like snowflakes, trees, and clouds. Lindenmayer sets are computer-generated objects which possess self-similarity--created with the aim of understanding how natural versions of the objects may be made. Lindenmayer sets of fetuses, body parts: hearts, lungs, and hands, as well as diatoms, and other chemical structures are being constructed so that we might gain insight into how nature creates complex organism from simple parts. My poster will present a background on self-similarity accompanied by images representative of Lindenmayer sets. Also, a running program of the popular Lindenmayer set, the wind-swept tree, will show an actual construction utilizing the ideas of self-similarity and is set to music, coined the Lindenmayer Symphony, which is generated along with the creation of the image.
Lane D. Jefferies and Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
In practice, many biologists distinguish plant species not based on a biological species concept dealing with mutual infertility, but rather on the basis of readily observed phenotypic characters unique to each biological species. Lay people, who are not versed in taxonomic nomenclature, also recognize plant species in such a manner, often because they have a subconscious appreciation of the rules governing pattern formation during development, which result in a plant which, while not identical to any other member of its species, is nonetheless easily identified as a member of that species. In this regard, we may dispense with the metaphor of DNA as a blueprint, and consider it rather as a recipe, specifying a sequence of actions which result in a product. This project uses Lindenmayer systems, in which parts of simple initial object are repeatedly replace in a predetermined manner, to yield aesthetically pleasing demonstrations of both complexity and diversity arising from simple beginnings, based on simple rules.
Adam Krause and Laney Mills, Department of Physics & Astronomy
The stock market is effected by many factors such as politics and the economy as well as cyclic activity in business and other less obvious social and economic conditions. I found daily closing values for the Dow from January 1901 to the present as well as the Standard and Poors 500 closing values from 1926 to the present. It is known that there are systems in nature, called chaotic systems, which are described by simple equations whose behavior is so complex as to appear random. Even more surprisingly, there are techniques for obtaining from a single time series a surprising amount of information about whether data is truly random or whether there are underlying equations of order. I have implemented this so-called time delay method with a view to spotting patterns of hidden order as well as an estimate of how many different variables might determine the dynamics of the stock market.
Jessica Chenault and Laney Mills, Department of Physics & Astronomy
In certain circumstances, small differences in initial conditions create large differences in computed final outputs. Although such systems seem random, they are actually exceedingly complicated regimes of innocent-looking simple equations. This effect is known as chaos. Techniques have been developed to investigate whether a single time series with complicated behavior is actually random or a chaotic regime of an underlying order. In this work, a portable weather station was placed at the Folly Beach Fishing Pier and temperatures for the air and the water beneath the pier were recorded. The ocean temperature was taken at the end of the pier 0.6 m below a floating buoy. Air temperature was recorded above the ocean. The two temperatures were taken on an hourly basis from September 8 to December 2, 1998. These data have been analyzed to determine whether the sea-air temperature system is random or chaotic.
Amy J. Houck and Dr. Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
For years mathematicians have marveled at the beauty and complexity of the Mandelbrot set. The Mandelbrot set is the result of a very simple mathematical iteration process in the complex plane. Although the iteration process itself is surprisingly simple, the resulting patterns are exceedingly complicated and beautiful. Zooming into the border of this structure reveals complicated images with contain many almost (but not quite) perfectly repeated versions of the original set itself. Since the term fractal is used for systems which are exactly self-similar under magnification, the Mandelbrot set is called a "pseudo-fractal". When Mandelbrot first viewed the border he thought it to be made just of bits of photographic dust. Upon further investigation and zooming he discovered the complicated structures now associated to Mandelbrot sets. This poster will present images formed from zooming on the borders of the Mandelbrot set.
Sarah E. Bailey and Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Chaos can be thought of in terms of apparent disorder arising from order. Certain seemingly simple systems can produce behavior so complicated as to appear random. One feature of these so-called chaotic systems is that, although they are completely determined, they are so sensitive to having the exact starting values they that can not be used for prediction. One such system is a steel beam that is being pushed and pulled at a constant frequency and constant amplitude. A seemingly ordered situation, but, under certain conditions the motion can appear completely random (hence the apparent disorder from order). In this poster I will have a working version of the "buckling beam". I will show the sorts of analyses of data taken from the real system that reveals the underlying order in the motion of the beam.
Lori Sanfratello and Laney Mills, College of Charleston Physics Department
Chaos theory is a way of thinking about systems which exhibit a great deal of complexity. Chaos theory postulates that some complex systems have a high degree of organization, even though they often appear disorganized or random. The brain is an obviously complex system, but is the electrical signaling of the brain chaotic? Electroencephlagrams (EEG) record the electrical activity in the brain. Although the descriptive equations for the brain are, of course, not known, there are techniques for determining if there is an underlying order as well as for making some estimate of the the number of dynamical variables involved. This poster will show the results of this sort of analysis for EEG's for several different physiological states: alert, relaxed, deeply asleep, comatose, and epileptic seizure. The poster will explain some of the terms and concepts involved such as fractal dimension, correlation dimension and embedding dimension.
Patrick D. McCarty and Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
In its simplest form, chaos theory can be described as "seemingly lawless behavior governed entirely by law." That is, what appears to have no order, when looked at in the proper light, actually follows a surprisingly ordered behavior. The Mandelbrot Set falls within the realm of chaos. The set is a graph on the complex plane. Every point in the plane is plugged into an equation and iterated (that is, the answer which results from plugging in the point is then re-entered into the same equation). After several iterations, the numbers either settle down ("captured"), or they explode towards infinity ("escape"). The colorful patterns of the Mandelbrot Set are created by those points which escape. The set is infinitely deep, and as you zoom into the chaotic mass of shapes and swirls, you are astounded to find seemingly repeating patterns. And thus order is found in chaos.
Andrew S. Cornwell, Alap Jani, and F. J. Heldrich, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
There are two goals of this project: to determine that the amidoxime functionality can be isolated from aryl cyanides that also contain quaternary ammonium salt side chains, and to determine if the amidoxime functionality is biologically equivalent to amidine functionality currently used in study of retrograde axonal transport. The current amidine RATFIA (retrograde axonal transport fluorescent imaging agents) compounds available pose synthetic difficulty, are poorly soluble in an aqueous environment, and have high levels of toxicity in vivo. It is hoped that the new compounds will improve on all of these qualities and maintain the desired functions of imaging agents.
Philip Albiniak, Christopher W. Alexander and Chemistry 571 Students: F97 & F98, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
The alkaloid, piperine, is found in black pepper. Piperine is one of the components of pepper that contributes to the pungent taste and aroma of pepper. The goals in Chemistry 571 (Synthesis and Characterization) were (1) to synthesize piperine by a new synthetic route, (2) to isolate piperine from black pepper based on a literature procedure, and (3) compare the natural and synthetic piperine as a structure proof. The challenge of this project has been to synthesize piperine while teaching, learning and applying organic chemistry laboratory techniques to solve a synthesis problem. Our progress toward the synthesis of piperine will be presented.
Angela Lodes, Department of Biology
Studying seed migration in Aquilegia populations is especially important to this mesic species because the populations are isolated from each other due to intervening desert habitat. Because the chloroplast DNA is transmitted via seed, it can be very useful in studying seed migration. Our research focused on resolving population--level variation in a 400 nucleotide fragment of ribosomal protein subunit 16 of Aquilegia chloroplast DNA. We subjected the chloroplast DNA to PCR and characterized the sequence level variation of rps16 using Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. After looking at 90 individuals in six different populations, we observed at least two alleles. We did resolve enough variation to address seed migration. The details of these patterns of migration will depend on further analysis.
Prof. Pam Riggs-Gelasco and Shaun Vincent, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
The redox properties of high valent manganese are exploited in a variety of important biological oxidation/reduction reactions. Photosynthetic oxygen evolution is catalyzed by a high valent tetranuclear Mn cluster in the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) of Photosystem II. Ribonucleotide reductases (RR) enzymatically convert ribonucleotides to deoxyribonucleotides. In Cornyform bacteria, a high valent Mn cofactor is proposed to aerobically generate a protein free radical that triggers this crucial nucleotide chemistry. In other microorganisms, Mn oxidation is used to form an amorphous Mn oxide extracellular sheath. These three enzymatic systems all have the unique ability to acquire Mn(II) from the environment and to oxdize it to higher oxidation states for specific biological functions. The proposed research will use physical biochemical methods to investigate the mechanisms of these biological Mn oxidations. These mechanisms will help us understand the extraordinary way proteins harness reactive oxidating species for difficult chemical reactions.
Ryan Watkins and Dr. Jack DiTullio, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Department of Biology
The availability of iron in the open oceans has been found to be the limiting factor of the growth of marine phytoplankton. One response to iron limitation in most marine phytoplankton is the decreased synthesis the iron-containing redox proten ferredoxin, and the increased synthesis of flavodoxin, an analog of ferredoxin which does not contain iron. These proteins are vital in Photosystem I, an electron-transporting pathway of photosynthesis. Hence, the ratio of flavodoxin to ferredoxin in marine phytoplankton could be a powerful indicator of iron-stress, and thus, growth rates. These proteins both have unique absorbance spectra making them ideal for spectrophotometric analysis. This project uses HPLC and HPCE techniques to obtain ratios of ferredoxin and flavodoxin in various species of marine phytoplankton under various conditions of iron stress. The purification of flavodoxin from Azotobacter vinelandii, a bacteria which makes flavodoxin constitutively, is also of vital interest as no commercially available flavodoxin exists to use as a standard in these experiments.
Amanda Broderick, Department of Biology
Brian Cendrowski, Robert Gorlitsky, and Eric Betzhold, Department of Computer Science
In the area of veterinary practice management software there are currently few software systems that effectively address the needs of a small practice. A system has been developed, using a modified spiral development model, that integrates all the essential features needed for a small veterinary hospital. The features included are patient history, client billing, scheduling, reporting, and basic security features. The new system provided an easier to use interface, as well as enabling the clinic to operate efficiently with a small staff. The software did not limit the veterinary clinic, as it is expandable and networkable. The software system that was designed adequately met the needs of the veterinary clinic.
Timothy D. Chandler and Rodney D. Schluter, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
By using bulky ligands that contain a metal-silicon bond, a number of unusually stable organometallic compounds of the column 13 elements have been reported recently in the literature. The more electropositive silicon atom leaves the metal atoms less electron deficient and capable of forming stronger bonds to other metal atoms. The research presented concerns the synthesis, characterization and reactivity of an indium compound with the triphenylsilyl ligand. In particular, we will discuss the synthesis of triphenylsilylindium dichloride and its reactivity with transition metal carbonyls.
M. Eileen Duffy and Robert L. Nusbaum, Department of Geology
Dredged material storage facilities occupy more than 4000 acres in the Charleston area, with an additional 240 million cubic yards of dredged materials to be added over the next 50 years. Hazards associated with these on-shore storage facilities include runoff into the harbor and potential redistribution accompanying hurricanes, floods, and sea level rise. This research examined the history, current distribution, and disposal problems of dredged materials in the Charleston area. Using Airborne Visible InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data, we identified the clay minerals present and mapped their surficial distribution.
Greg Cottone and Dr. David Hall, Department of Physics and Astronomy, DEPT
The Poynting Vector is defined mathematically as the integral of the electric field cross the magnetic field over the surface area. Conceptually the Poynting Vector is the energy flow through a surface area as a result of the simulataneously present stored energy in the magnetic and electric fields. The Poynting Vector was calculated in magnitude and direction for an electromagnetic wave through space, a simple long wire, a capacitor in the H field of a bar magnet, the Earth's natural E and H fields, and a transformer. For a simple wire with a constant current S =I V/2 pi R. Analysis of the remaining geometrical orientations will be presented.
Bob Stevens, Huy Bui, Gil Cereno, and Jerome Addison, College of Charleston Computer Service
Colleges and universities have historically relied upon paper transmission for the delivery of public information. By employing the use of a computerized broadcast for information delivery, improved efficiency and increased reliability may be achieved in message communication. A computer broadcast system, sometimes referred to as "push technology", results in better interconnectivity among a large group of people and enhances the communication paths between the members of the group. The Medical University of South Carolina Liaison Experiment (M.U.S.C.L.E.) is an implementation of such a broadcast server, utilizing Marimba's Castanet, to eliminate the need for campus distribution of paper notices and announcements. SunCoast Consulting used a modified Waterfall Model in accomplishing the M.U.S.C.L.E. project.
D. Ward, T. Nguyen, J. A. Townes, A. K. White and K. D. Krantzman, College of Charleston, Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina 29424-001 and B. J. Garrison*, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
The use of polyatomic projectiles in organic secondary ion emmison spectrometry has attracted a lot of attention because of the nonlinear enhancement in secondary ion yield that these projectiles produce. Our group has been conducting molecular dynamics simulations in order to better understand the mechanism behind such enhancements. Our studies have focussed on SF5 and Xe as projectiles. Since they have the same mass we can focus on the effect of the number of atoms in the projectile. Our system is composed of a monolayer of biphenyl molecules on two substrates: Cu(001) and Si(100). Using the yield of stable biphenyl molecules, unstable biphenyl molecules, fragmented molecules and damaged molecules left on the surface, we can compare the energy density ditribution for the different yields resulting in further ejection criteria. The results of these studies of the energy density distribution will be discussed as they pertain to ejection.
Robert C. Frankis and Chantal M. Cousineau, Department of Biology
Previous work has demonstrated that TPA, a known activator of PKC, stimulates an increase in heart rate and force of contractions in perfused clam hearts. Immunoblotting was performed to provide more direct evidence for the existence of PKC in clam hearts and to define which isoforms are present. In these studies, proteins were identified in heart tissue that bind to antibodies specific for PKC alpha, PKC beta1, and PKC gamma isoforms of the enzyme.
Krista Nicole Bunker, Department of Biology
According to the theory of ecological separation, specific niches will be separated from other niches in a particular resource space. However, there are many cases where niche overlap is observed. Similar cohabiting species may reduce or eliminate overlap by partitioning food resources. This hypothesis was tested in assemblages of fish found in seven freshwater and brackish-water ponds in Charleston County. Samples were taken to analyze both resource availability and species distribution. A certain percentage of each species sampled were examined in the laboratory for gut content analysis. These data found that species of each pond partitioned food items to reduce interspecific competition. The partitioning resulted in the formation of guilds including detritivores, omnivores and generalized carnivores.
Krista N. Bunker, Donovan Lusk, and Katrina Delke, Department of Biology
The bivalve Anadara brasiliana is a common species in the Charleston, South Carolina region. A. brasiliana is preyed upon by a number of shell-boring gastropods. A possible strategy for protection against this predation is a size refuge. If an individual reaches a certain size, it will not be as susceptible to predators. An alternative hypothesis is an age refuge, functioning in the same way. To test these hypotheses, collections of A. brasiliana shells were made at several beach sites in the Charleston area. Analysis of the shells included shell size, age, and evidence of predation, indicated by the presence of a borehole. These data found that there is a size refuge in Anadara brasiliana at approximately 3.2 cm. The age refuge was not found to be as significant as the size refuge because of varying rates of shell growth in the studied species. Levels of predation may also vary depending on the site of collection.
Scott Bruemmer, Department of Geology
This is an ongoing study of bank erosion along selected tidal marsh creeks. The study area includes the marsh between the Isle of Palms and Ben Sawyer Bridges behind Sullivan's Island, South Carolina. Results from this study will help determine which factors most influence bank erosion in the marshes. 13 different sites have been established along 5 different marsh creeks and the main Intercoastal Waterway. Ground truth data have been collected in the field to correct high resolution aerial imagery being used and also help us better understand the study sites. Soil samples have been collected and are being analyzed for grain size and composition. The data collected are being incorporated into a GIS for spatial and temporal analysis. From these data we will be able to better determine what single or combination of environmental factors are contributing to the erosion of the Intercoastal marsh system. Monitoring of these sites will continue this summer and fall.
Meredith Caldwell, Sharon Coleman, Claire Hennesy, Susanne Karpick, and Alex Strehl, College of Charleston Honors Program, and David Gentry, Ph.D., and Susan Simonian, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, College of Charleston
Using a case description methodology, we examined the effects of problem severity, intervention type, and positive family mental health history on college students' judgments of acceptability of three single component and four multicomponent treatments for depressive symptomatology in college-aged individuals. Data indicated that: (a) pharmacologic intervention was the least preferred treatment, (b) only cognitive or behavioral treatments either in insolation or in combination were judged to be acceptable interventions, ( c) the pairing of cognitive or behavioral treatment with pharmacologic treatment resulted in lower acceptability ratings than those associated with cognitive or behavioral treatments in insolation, (d) positive mental health history did not influence acceptability ratings, and (e) severity of symptomatology significantly influenced ratings for the combined behavior therapy/pharmacologic intervention only, with this treatment being judged more acceptable for more severe versus mild symptomatology.
Emily Bennert, Julia Burrows, Sarah Dawson, Lecole Johnson, Nicole Milligan, Meghan Roberts, and Rachel Shipe, College of Charleston, Honors Program, and Susan Simonian, Ph.D., and David Gentry, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, College of Charleston
Using a case description methodology, we examined the effects of problem severity, intervention type, and positive family mental health history on college students' judgments of acceptability of three single component and four multicomponent treatments for childhood externalizing behavioral symptomatology. Data indicated that behavioral treatment involving positive reinforcement was rated significantly more acceptable than pharmacologic treatment. In addition, pairing pharmacologic treatment with one of two behavioral interventions resulted in decreased acceptability ratings over behavioral interventions in isolation, but increased ratings over pharmacologic intervention in isolation. Behavioral intervention involving the reductive technique time out was judged more acceptable when paired with the positive reinforcement. Severity of symptomatology failed to significantly influence acceptability ratings. Positive mental health history significantly influenced acceptability ratings for pharmacologic intervention combined with behavioral reductive and both behavioral interventions combined with pharmacologic intervention.
Randall Williams and Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
The term fractal was coined in 1977 by Benoit Mandelbrot to refer to mathematical objects and objects in nature that have the property of being self-similar under magnification. Clouds and coastlines of countries are examples. One scheme used by nature and used in computer modeling was developed by the biologist Astrid Lindenmayer. In so-called Lindenmayer systems, the self-similarity is accomplished by replacing elements of an original generating code by the entire original generating code. The results can be astonishingly complicated and beautiful when displayed on a computer. This poster will explain the code replacement process and demonstrate some of the resulting patterns.
Cynthia Ouzts and Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
If one picks a real number and repetitively squares it, the process will tend either toward infinity or toward zero, thus dividing the real line into "escapees and prisoners." In 1919, Gaston Julia extended this idea to complex numbers. Julia's process is to pick some fixed complex number c which is a parameter to the process. Then one picks a staring point z a point in the complex plane and iterates the process "z becomes z^2s +c". The iteration will tend either to infinity "an escapee:" or to some bounded set of numbers "a prisoner." Each point in the complex is tested in this manner. The Julia Set for that particular value of c is the boundary between the two groups. The resulting patterns are beautiful (especially when the escapees are colored according to the number of attempts needed to escape) and can be "zoomed in on" without ever "reaching bottom."
Justin King and Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
The well-known Julia sets are generated by the repetitive process z becomes z^2s +c, where z is some starting point in the complex plane and where c is a complex number which is a parameter for the process. There is a complete Julia set for each value of the parameter c. It is known that some Julia sets are connected whereas others are dust-like in character. Benoit Mandelbrot was attempting to identify all the points c (in the complex plane) that lead to connected Julia sets. Those points constitute the interior of what is now known as the Mandelbrot set. The official Mandelbrot set itself is the boundary of the "connected set" c values. The Mandelbrot set has been described as the most bizarre object ever conceived. This poster will show the process of making the set will show some of the beautiful and striking patterns that result.
Glenn Fallucca and Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Newton's second law, F = m a, is a differential equation which is normally solved analytically. Another view is that one computes, from an initial location and velocity, the location and velocity an infinitesimal time later and then repeats the process iteratively. This process has been used very successful in the numerical solution of non-linear systems which can rarely be solved numerically. Certain graphical representations of the motion of some non-linear systems are both beautiful and intricate, requiring the invention of "non integer dimension" to describe them. A purely mathematical system, called the Mandelbrot set, is created by a specific iteration process applied to the complex plane. The usual process unavoidably includes points "on either side" of the set. In order to compute the fractional dimension, a process which produces only points in the set itself is needed. This poster will describe this unique process and the resulting fractional dimension.
Tyler Rentz and Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Balthasar van der Pol was a Dutch electrical engineer. In 1927 he built a simple electrical circuit using a vacuum tube that would produce a series of tones, one after the other, when he changed the current. Subsequent study has shown this circuit represents a class of non-linear behavior called self-excited oscillations. The motion (the current in the circuit) is oscillatory despite there being no oscillatory driving forces. The system is said to have a "limit cycle." When the system IS driven by an external force, the motion can be surprising complicated, despite the fact that the descriptive equations are quite simple, a phenomenon known as chaos. The circuit is a simple approximation of circuits used in signal generators, TV and radio transmitters. This poster will present a description of a mathematical model of the circuit and will show some of the complicated behavior of which this circuit it capable.
Keller Allen and Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Is our solar system stable? Would it be possible for the earth to suddenly move farther or nearer the sun, ending human existence as we know it? The orbiting of two bodies about their common center of mass is easily shown to be stable. The motion of a solar system with two planets orbiting one sun can be a significantly more complicated situation. This situation is a special case of what is known as the three body problem, for which the motion cannot be proven to be stable. Although our solar systems seems to have been stable SO FAR, it is not possible to prove that it will remain so. This poster will present the results of a computerized animation of a two planet solar system that will show the kinds of scenarios that are mathematically possible when the masses of the three bodies can be adjusted at will.
Elise Bickford and Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
The Rossler system is a system of three coupled differential equations that are generally regarded as roughly representing the dynamics of chemical reactions in a stirred tank. It is also regarded as the simplest system of continuous equations capable of so-called chaotic behavior. (Chaos refers to simple deterministic equations resulting in motion so complicated as to appear random.) In addition to exhibiting chaotic behavior, the equations allow a study of the details of a typical transition from stability to chaos. When the dynamical variables are plotted in a certain way for a chaotic regime, the complicated pattern known as a strange attractor results. This poster will describe the Rossler system of equations and will show some of its behavior.
Nicole Levi and Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
This poster reports on an experiment to investigate the patterns of water dripping from a tap. Depending on the flow rate of the water, the intervals between drops can be equal, can form a more complicated but nonetheless repeating pattern, or can be without any apparent order at all. A complete absence of order is called randomness. However, there are many known situations in nature that are described by simple deterministic equations for which the behavior is so complicated as to appear random. For the case of the dripping water, there are no known descriptive equations. However, there are techniques for determining whether or not a time series of data represents a hidden underlying order. This poster will explain this sort of analysis and will show the results applied to real data representing actual drops
Greg Cottone and Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
A mass moving on a spring is perhaps the most simple linear system in physics. The pull of a spring is directly (linearly) proportional to the stretching. A plot of its velocity vs. its location is an ellipse representing the periodic bouncing. A simple pendulum is a linear system only when the oscillations of the pendulum are constrained to be quite small (as they are in introductory physics classes). In reality, however, the restoring force of gravity on a pendulum is proportional to the SIN of the displacement. An unconstrained pendulum subjected to some frictional damping and an adjustable driving force is capable a motion that is so complicated as to appear random. (This random-like motion from simple deterministic equations is called chaos.) The plot of velocity vs. location for a chaotic regime of a pendulum is exceedingly complicated. This poster will present the motion of a chaotic pendulum.
Christopher Garrick and Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
The logistic equation is a simple approximation of a population of a species in the presence of limited resources. The equation works iteratively by taking the population at a given generation and returning the population in the next generation. For nominal growth rates, the population repeats itself in each generation (period one). As the growth rate parameter is increased, the population will make a now-large-now-small pattern (period two). As the growth rated is increased further, the period will double many times finally reaching a situation in which there is no visible pattern (chaos). It is found that the ratios of successive growth rate intervals tends to a constant, called the Feigenbaum constant, which occurs not only in the logistic equation, but in any system whose shape is remotely like that of the logistic equation. The ratio appears to be a universal constant. This poster will show a direct numerical determination of this amazing phenomenon.
Jason A. Zwiker and Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Time delay series (a technique for testing for hidden order in apparently random occurrences) of documented occurrences of Influenza Virus A (H1N1, H3N2 and non-type) in Geneva, Switzerland over 232 weeks were constructed from World Health Organization's Influenza Surveillance Archive data. Influenza A, the most virulent of all influenza variants, has caused many epidemics and pandemics throughout recorded history. The epidemic potential of A is due to its rapid shifting of hemagglutinin and neuraminidase gene sequences. (HnNn). Monitoring these variants has increasingly become common practice worldwide. The degree to which earlier patterns of Influenza A occurrence related to later occurrences was investigated by serial correlation statistical methods. The autocovariance, how the system varies with itself over time, as well as the variance, was calculated for each time series. Autocorrelation, the autocovariance standardized by the variance, was calculated and correlograms were constructed for non-type, H1N1 and H3N2 lags as compared to their respective time series.
Dina McMahon and Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
The most complex shape ever invented, the Mandelbrot set, is based on only one equation, the complex mapping "replace z with z^2 + c." This object is actually based on another set called the Julia set. The Julia Set: One selects a complex number c, which is a fixed parameter. Then one iterates each z with the above replacement. Some of z the values go off to infinity while others do not. The Julia Set is the boundary between the two groups. For some values of the parameter c, the Julia sets are connected. For the rest the Julia sets are disconnected, having the appearance of dust. The Mandelbrot set is the formed by plotting all values of c that lead to connected Julia Sets. The Mandelbrot set itself it the boundary between the two c groups. Amazingly this object can be reproduced with a relatively short computer program.
Stephen Fernandez and Laney Mills, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Chaos is seemingly disorderled behavior arising from simple determinist equations. The Henon system is a fictitious discrete system that involves only two variables x and y. One sets values for two parameters alpha and beta for the system. Then one picks a starting value for x and y and obtains new values for x and y according to the rule "replace x with 1 - alpha x^2 + y and replace y with beta * x". For certain values of alpha and beta, the resulting plot of y vs. x reveals patterns which are so complicated that they require an extension of the idea of dimension to include non-integer dimensions.. In addition, one can "zoom in" repeatedly on an area of the graph and find patterns quite similar to the main feature of the original set. Such systems are called fractals. This poster will show and discuss some of these beautiful patterns.
David Dabney, Brian Gager, Craig Long, Aisha Munlin, and Brian Waite, Department of Computer Science
The French Department at the College of Charleston has a video checkout service provided for students, community members, and faculty. The current, paper-based system for keeping track of the videos has become too inefficient for the department to provide the service properly.
A software system was designed to be run on a single, user-client PC with an intuitive GUI in a Windows environment. Navigation is carried out using graphical menu buttons which are similar to other Windows based products and should require little training. The programming was done in Visual Basic 5.0 with data being stored in a relational database using Microsoft Access. Various reports are generated by this system using Crystal Reports 6.0.
Christopher Saint-Amand, James Leard, and Jonathan Whetsel, Department of Computer Science
The real-time visualization system is to be developed to expedite the process of generating graphical output for a forest habitat simulation model. The system will achieve this goal by replacing disjoint applications on multiple systems, requiring the attention of multiple users, with a single automated software system. The system will be developed in Java forming a multi-platform architecture, allowing for data reuse and a consistent data repository. The system supports multiple client connections through multithreaded port assignment and uses client processor to perform real-time imaging. The client side module allows for maximum visual and data customization through a system independent graphical user interface. The system will be developed with modularity and reusability as a priority, allowing modules to be rewritten, modified, and interchanged easily. The final graphical output of the system is available in a common digital image format as well as printed hard copy.
